CMI Project 3.2.13: Biomaterials for critical material dissolution, recovery and separation

News & Highlights

bar graph shows Bioleaching of metals from milled magnetic swarf by the bacterium Gluconbacter oxydans. Data shown are cumulative metal concentrations in bioleachate from the solid permanent magnet swarf. 1-step indicates biolixiviant production is conducted simultaneously with bioleaching whereas 2-step is biolixiviant production followed by bioleaching.

Development of a one-step magnet swarf bioleaching process

Combining ADR and lanmodulin for Dy separation from E-waste

$bar graph shows Lanmodulin protein-based process for Sc, Y, and grouped lanthanide separation from a simulated allanite leachate (pH 3). Plot depicts the composition of Sc, Y, HREE, MREE, and La+Ce fractions.$ Research Highlight

Scandium and yttrium separation from simulated allanite leachate

a line graph represents a new lanmodulin protein enables high-purity separation of Nd/Dy. A solution comprising a 5:95 mixture of Dy:Nd (pH 5) was subjected to a coupled adsorption/desorption cycle with immobilized protein.

Research Highlight

Harnessing a new protein for enhanced REE separation

diagram shows Predictive metabolic modeling supported by laboratory testing can be used to develop improved production of organic acid lixiviants for economical bioleaching processes.

Research Highlight

Metabolic flux modeling enables optimized production of organic acids for bioleaching

Publications

Aaron Brewer Alice Dohnalkova Vaithiyalingam Shutthanandan Libor Kovarik Elliot Chang April M. Sawvel Harris E. Mason David Reed Congwang Ye William F. Hynes Laura N. Lammers Dan M. Park Yongqin Jiao

Microbe Encapsulation for Selective Rare-Earth Recovery from Electronic Waste Leachates

Environmental Science and Technology, 2019

David Reed at Idaho National Laboratory leads the CMI project "Biomaterials for critical material dissolution, recovery and separation"

This project modifies bacterial strains using state-of-the-art synthetic biology tools and optimizes growth conditions to efficiently utilize agricultural wastes for production of organic acids to optimize leaching of critical elements from a variety of solid end-of-life materials. Furthermore, the project will develop novel biomaterials through cell encapsulation for recovery and separation of rare earth elements via column chromatography.

Related information:

CMI Webinars - several CMI webinars have been offered related to recycling and to this project

Leadership development: Jongqin Jiao

Researchers in this area include the Joseph Cotrovu group at Penn State University: Cotrovo was interviewed for a podcast