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Updated: Jun 21, 2025

Quantification of Heavy Metals and Other Inorganic Contaminants on the Productivity of Microalgae

Quantification of Heavy Metals and Other Inorganic Contaminants on the Productivity of Microalgae

Published on: July 10, 2015

Biomining using microalgae to recover rare earth elements (REEs) from bauxite.

Phong H N Vo¹, Unnikrishnan Kuzhiumparambil¹, Mikael Kim¹

¹Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.

Bioresource Technology

|July 6, 2024

Summary

Microalgae can sustainably extract rare earth elements (REEs) from bauxite. Optimal conditions were identified for REE recovery and biochemical function, paving the way for scaled biomining applications.

Keywords:

Bauxite Biomining Microalgae Rare earth elements (REEs)

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Author Spotlight: Scaling Microalgal Biotechnology for Enhanced Biomethane Production

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Published on: March 22, 2024

Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Biotechnology
Materials Science

Background:

Biomining offers a sustainable alternative for extracting valuable elements.
Microalgae show potential for recovering rare earth elements (REEs).
Bauxite processing presents challenges for efficient REE recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate microalgae's capacity for REE recovery from bauxite.
To assess bauxite's impact on microalgal biochemical functions.
To optimize operating conditions for enhanced REE biomining.

Main Methods:

Cultivation of microalgae with varying bauxite concentrations.
Analysis of REE content in microalgal biomass.
Assessment of biochemical markers (pigments, enzymes) under bauxite stress.
Optimization of aeration, pH, and hydraulic retention time.

Main Results:

Increased bauxite concentration (0.2-0.6%) enhanced REE recovery and biochemical production up to 10%.
Chlorella vulgaris demonstrated superior REE recovery efficiency compared to other species.
Higher pH levels reduced REE accumulation in microalgal biomass.
Optimal operating conditions were identified for efficient biomining.

Conclusions:

Microalgae, particularly Chlorella vulgaris, are effective in REE biomining from bauxite.
Bauxite concentration and pH are critical factors influencing REE recovery and microalgal health.
This research provides a foundation for scaling up microalgal-based REE extraction processes.