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Pakostova E, Graves J, Latvyte E, Maddalena G, Horsfall L. A novel closed-loop biotechnology for recovery of cobalt from a lithium-ion battery active cathode material. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2024; 170:001475. [PMID: 39016549 PMCID: PMC11318048 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, the demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has been increasing rapidly. Conventional recycling strategies (based on pyro- and hydrometallurgy) are damaging for the environment and more sustainable methods need to be developed. Bioleaching is a promising environmentally friendly approach that uses microorganisms to solubilize metals. However, a bioleaching-based technology has not yet been applied to recover valuable metals from waste LIBs on an industrial scale. A series of experiments was performed to improve metal recovery rates from an active cathode material (LiCoO2; LCO). (i) Direct bioleaching of ≤0.5 % LCO with two prokaryotic acidophilic consortia achieved >80 % Co and 90 % Li extraction. Significantly lower metal recovery rates were obtained at 30 °C than at 45 °C. (ii) In contrast, during direct bioleaching of 3 % LCO with consortia adapted to elevated LCO levels, the 30 °C consortium performed significantly better than the 45 °C consortium, solubilizing 73 and 93 % of the Co and Li, respectively, during one-step bioleaching, and 83 and 99 % of the Co and Li, respectively, during a two-step process. (iii) The adapted 30°C consortium was used for indirect leaching in a low-waste closed-loop system (with 10 % LCO). The process involved generation of sulfuric acid in an acid-generating bioreactor (AGB), 2-3 week leaching of LCO with the biogenic acid (pH 0.9), selective precipitation of Co as hydroxide, and recirculation of the metal-free liquor back into the AGB. In total, 58.2 % Co and 100 % Li were solubilized in seven phases, and >99.9 % of the dissolved Co was recovered after each phase as a high-purity Co hydroxide. Additionally, Co nanoparticles were generated from the obtained Co-rich leachates, using Desulfovibrio alaskensis, and Co electrowinning was optimized as an alternative recovery technique, yielding high recovery rates (91.1 and 73.6% on carbon felt and roughened steel, respectively) from bioleachates that contained significantly lower Co concentrations than industrial hydrometallurgical liquors. The closed-loop system was highly dominated by the mixotrophic archaeon Ferroplasma and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria Acidithiobacillus caldus and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. The developed system achieved high metal recovery rates and provided high-purity solid products suitable for a battery supply chain, while minimizing waste production and the inhibitory effects of elevated concentrations of dissolved metals on the leaching prokaryotes. The system is suitable for scale-up applications and has the potential to be adapted to different battery chemistries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Pakostova
- Centre for Health and Life Sciences, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Coventry University, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK
- Centre for Manufacturing and Materials, Institute for Clean Growth and Future Mobility, Coventry University, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK
- MIRARCO Mining Innovation, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
- Goodman School of Mines, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - John Graves
- Centre for Manufacturing and Materials, Institute for Clean Growth and Future Mobility, Coventry University, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK
| | - Egle Latvyte
- Centre for Manufacturing and Materials, Institute for Clean Growth and Future Mobility, Coventry University, Coventry, CV1 5FB, UK
| | - Giovanni Maddalena
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK
- Faraday Institution (ReLiB project), Quad One, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, UK
| | - Louise Horsfall
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK
- Faraday Institution (ReLiB project), Quad One, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, UK
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Liu G, Tang J, Li B, Chen C, Wang X. Alumina inhibits pyrite oxidative dissolution by regulating solid film passivation layer and S, Fe, and Al speciation transformation. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 352:141366. [PMID: 38311037 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
The oxidation of pyrite results in the formation of a solid film passivation layer on its surface. This layer effectively hinders the direct interaction between H2O, O2, and the pyrite surface, thereby impeding the oxidation dissolution of pyrite. There are few studies on whether alumina (Al2O3), a common aluminum-containing oxide, affects the formation of a solid film passivation layer on the surface of pyrite and inhibits the oxidation dissolution of pyrite. This research investigates the impact of Al2O3 incorporation on the speciation transformation of S, Fe, and Al on the surface of pyrite during oxygen pyrite process. The oxidation of pyrite followed the "polysulfide-thiosulfate" complex oxidation pathway. When <1.5 g/L Al2O3 was introduced, it increase pyrite oxidation, whereas ≥1.5 g/L Al2O3 prevented pyrite oxidation. The process of Al2O3 dissolution results in the consumption of H+ and the subsequent release of Al3+. This, in turn, facilitates the hydrolysis of Fe3+ and Al3+ to generate a secondary mineral layer on the pyrite surface. As a result of the accumulation of S promotes the formation of polysulfide chemical (FeSn) or iron deficiency sulfide (Fe1-xS), resulting in the formation of a solid film passivation layer composed of sulfur film and secondary mineral layer. The results demonstrated that Al2O3 can promote the formation of a solid film passivation layer on the surface of pyrite, which has significant implications for controlling the oxidation dissolution process of pyrite and offers a new perspective for the source control of acid mine drainage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo Liu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Synergetic Control and Joint Remediation & Water Pollution, College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, PR China
| | - Jie Tang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Synergetic Control and Joint Remediation & Water Pollution, College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, PR China.
| | - Bo Li
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Synergetic Control and Joint Remediation & Water Pollution, College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, PR China; Southwest University of Science and Technology, School of Environment and Resourse, Mianyang, 621010, PR China
| | - Cheng Chen
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Synergetic Control and Joint Remediation & Water Pollution, College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, PR China
| | - Xuemei Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Synergetic Control and Joint Remediation & Water Pollution, College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, PR China
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Li L, Zhou L, Jiang C, Liu Z, Meng D, Luo F, He Q, Yin H. AI-driven pan-proteome analyses reveal insights into the biohydrometallurgical properties of Acidithiobacillia. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1243987. [PMID: 37744906 PMCID: PMC10512742 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1243987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Microorganism-mediated biohydrometallurgy, a sustainable approach for metal recovery from ores, relies on the metabolic activity of acidophilic bacteria. Acidithiobacillia with sulfur/iron-oxidizing capacities are extensively studied and applied in biohydrometallurgy-related processes. However, only 14 distinct proteins from Acidithiobacillia have experimentally determined structures currently available. This significantly hampers in-depth investigations of Acidithiobacillia's structure-based biological mechanisms pertaining to its relevant biohydrometallurgical processes. To address this issue, we employed a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI)-driven approach, with a median model confidence of 0.80, to perform high-quality full-chain structure predictions on the pan-proteome (10,458 proteins) of the type strain Acidithiobacillia. Additionally, we conducted various case studies on de novo protein structural prediction, including sulfate transporter and iron oxidase, to demonstrate how accurate structure predictions and gene co-occurrence networks can contribute to the development of mechanistic insights and hypotheses regarding sulfur and iron utilization proteins. Furthermore, for the unannotated proteins that constitute 35.8% of the Acidithiobacillia proteome, we employed the deep-learning algorithm DeepFRI to make structure-based functional predictions. As a result, we successfully obtained gene ontology (GO) terms for 93.6% of these previously unknown proteins. This study has a significant impact on improving protein structure and function predictions, as well as developing state-of-the-art techniques for high-throughput analysis of large proteomic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangzhi Li
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Engineering and Metallurgy, Beijing, China
| | - Chengying Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenghua Liu
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Delong Meng
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Feng Luo
- School of Computing, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
| | - Qiang He
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Huaqun Yin
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha, China
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Sand W, Schippers A, Hedrich S, Vera M. Progress in bioleaching: fundamentals and mechanisms of microbial metal sulfide oxidation - part A. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:6933-6952. [PMID: 36194263 PMCID: PMC9592645 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12168-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Bioleaching of metal sulfides is performed by diverse microorganisms. The dissolution of metal sulfides occurs via two chemical pathways, either the thiosulfate or the polysulfide pathway. These are determined by the metal sulfides’ mineralogy and their acid solubility. The microbial cell enables metal sulfide dissolution via oxidation of iron(II) ions and inorganic sulfur compounds. Thereby, the metal sulfide attacking agents iron(III) ions and protons are generated. Cells are active either in a planktonic state or attached to the mineral surface, forming biofilms. This review, as an update of the previous one (Vera et al., 2013a), summarizes some recent discoveries relevant to bioleaching microorganisms, contributing to a better understanding of their lifestyle. These comprise phylogeny, chemical pathways, surface science, biochemistry of iron and sulfur metabolism, anaerobic metabolism, cell–cell communication, molecular biology, and biofilm lifestyle. Recent advances from genetic engineering applied to bioleaching microorganisms will allow in the future to better understand important aspects of their physiology, as well as to open new possibilities for synthetic biology applications of leaching microbial consortia. Key points • Leaching of metal sulfides is strongly enhanced by microorganisms • Biofilm formation and extracellular polymer production influences bioleaching • Cell interactions in mixed bioleaching cultures are key for process optimization
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Sand
- Institute of Biosciences, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany. .,Faculty of Chemistry, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Axel Schippers
- Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR), Hannover, Germany
| | - Sabrina Hedrich
- Institute of Biosciences, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany
| | - Mario Vera
- Instituto de Ingeniería Biológica y Médica, Escuelas de Ingeniería, Medicina y Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. .,Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Escuela de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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Kremser K, Thallner S, Strbik D, Spiess S, Kucera J, Vaculovic T, Vsiansky D, Haberbauer M, Mandl M, Guebitz GM. Leachability of metals from waste incineration residues by iron- and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 280:111734. [PMID: 33288317 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Hazardous waste disposal via incineration generates a substantial amount of ashes and slags which pose an environmental risk due to their toxicity. Currently, these residues are deposited in landfills with loss of potentially recyclable raw material. In this study, the use of acidophilic bioleaching bacteria (Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, and Leptospirillum ferrooxidans) as an environmentally friendly, efficient strategy for the recovery of valuable metals from incineration residues was investigated. Zinc, Cobalt, Copper, and Manganese from three different incineration residues were bio-extracted up to 100% using A. ferrooxidans under ferrous iron oxidation. The other metals showed lower leaching efficiencies based on the type of culture used. Sulfur-oxidizing cultures A. ferrooxidans and A. thiooxidans, containing sulfur as the sole substrate, expressed a significantly lower leaching efficiency (up to 50%). According to ICP-MS, ashes and slags contained Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, Cd, and Ni in economically attractive concentrations between 0.2 and 75 mg g-1. Compared to conventional hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processes, our biological approach provides many advantages such as: the use of a limited amount of used strong acids (H2SO4 or HCl), recycling operations at lower temperatures (~30 °C) and no emission of toxic gases during combustion (i.e., dioxins and furans).
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Affiliation(s)
- Klemens Kremser
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna BOKU, Dept. of Agrobiotechnology, IFA-Tulln, Inst. of Environmental Biotechnology, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 20, 3430, Tulln and der Donau, Austria
| | | | - Dorina Strbik
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna BOKU, Dept. of Agrobiotechnology, IFA-Tulln, Inst. of Environmental Biotechnology, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 20, 3430, Tulln and der Donau, Austria
| | | | - Jiri Kucera
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 61137, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Vaculovic
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 61137, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Dalibor Vsiansky
- Department of Geological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Martin Mandl
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 61137, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Georg M Guebitz
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna BOKU, Dept. of Agrobiotechnology, IFA-Tulln, Inst. of Environmental Biotechnology, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 20, 3430, Tulln and der Donau, Austria.
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Huynh D, Norambuena J, Boldt C, Kaschabek SR, Levicán G, Schlömann M. Effect of Sodium Chloride on Pyrite Bioleaching and Initial Attachment by Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:2102. [PMID: 33013767 PMCID: PMC7516052 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.02102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Biomining applies microorganisms to extract valuable metals from usually sulfidic ores. However, acidophilic iron (Fe)-oxidizing bacteria tend to be sensitive to chloride ions which may be present in biomining operations. This study investigates the bioleaching of pyrite (FeS2), as well as the attachment to FeS2 by Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans DSM 9293T in the presence of elevated sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations. The bacteria were still able to oxidize iron in the presence of up to 0.6M NaCl (35 g/L), and the addition of NaCl in concentrations up to 0.2M (~12 g/L) did not inhibit iron oxidation and growth of S. thermosulfidooxidans in leaching cultures within the first 7 days. However, after approximately 7 days of incubation, ferrous iron (Fe2+) concentrations were gradually increased in leaching assays with NaCl, indicating that iron oxidation activity over time was reduced in those assays. Although the inhibition by 0.1M NaCl (~6 g/L) of bacterial growth and iron oxidation activity was not evident at the beginning of the experiment, over extended leaching duration NaCl was likely to have an inhibitory effect. Thus, after 36 days of the experiment, bioleaching of FeS2 with 0.1M NaCl was reduced significantly in comparison to control assays without NaCl. Pyrite dissolution decreased with the increase of NaCl. Nevertheless, pyrite bioleaching by S. thermosulfidooxidans was still possible at NaCl concentrations as high as 0.4M (~23 g/L NaCl). Besides, cell attachment in the presence of different concentrations of NaCl was investigated. Cells of S. thermosulfidooxidans attached heterogeneously on pyrite surfaces regardless of NaCl concentration. Noticeably, bacteria were able to adhere to pyrite surfaces in the presence of NaCl as high as 0.4M. Although NaCl addition inhibited iron oxidation activity and bioleaching of FeS2, the presence of 0.2M seemed to enhance bacterial attachment of S. thermosulfidooxidans on pyrite surfaces in comparison to attachment without NaCl.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieu Huynh
- Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biosciences, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany
| | - Javiera Norambuena
- Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biosciences, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany
| | - Christin Boldt
- Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biosciences, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany
| | - Stefan R. Kaschabek
- Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biosciences, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany
| | - Gloria Levicán
- Biology Department, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Michael Schlömann
- Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biosciences, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany
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Abstract
Mismanagement of mine waste rock can mobilize acidity, metal (loid)s, and other contaminants, and thereby negatively affect downstream environments. Hence, strategic long-term planning is required to prevent and mitigate deleterious environmental impacts. Technical frameworks to support waste-rock management have existed for decades and typically combine static and kinetic testing, field-scale experiments, and sometimes reactive-transport models. Yet, the design and implementation of robust long-term solutions remains challenging to date, due to site-specificity in the generated waste rock and local weathering conditions, physicochemical heterogeneity in large-scale systems, and the intricate coupling between chemical kinetics and mass- and heat-transfer processes. This work reviews recent advances in our understanding of the hydrogeochemical behavior of mine waste rock, including improved laboratory testing procedures, innovative analytical techniques, multi-scale field investigations, and reactive-transport modeling. Remaining knowledge-gaps pertaining to the processes involved in mine waste weathering and their parameterization are identified. Practical and sustainable waste-rock management decisions can to a large extent be informed by evidence-based simplification of complex waste-rock systems and through targeted quantification of a limited number of physicochemical parameters. Future research on the key (bio)geochemical processes and transport dynamics in waste-rock piles is essential to further optimize management and minimize potential negative environmental impacts.
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