Assessment of biotechnological strategies for the valorization of metal bearing wastes

Journal Article · Tue May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Waste Management

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2011.10.014· OSTI ID:21612973

Beolchini, Francesca ^[1]; Fonti, Viviana; Dell'Anno, Antonio; Rocchetti, Laura ^[1]; Veglio, Francesco ^[2]

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1. Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Universita Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona (Italy)
2. Department of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials, University of L'Aquila, Monteluco di Roio, 67040 L'Aquila (Italy)

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We examine biological strategies to valorize different metal rich solid waste. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Bacteria play a key role in the mobilization of Zn and Y from fluorescent powders. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ferrous iron is crucial for the bioleaching of Ni, V, Mo from spent catalysts. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer No biological effect is observed for Ni, Zn, As, Cr mobilisation from sediments. - Abstract: The present work deals with the application of biotechnology for the mobilization of metals from different solid wastes: end of life industrial catalysts, heavy metal contaminated marine sediments and fluorescent powders coming from a cathode ray tube glass recycling process. Performed experiments were aimed at assessing the performance of acidophilic chemoautotrophic Fe/S-oxidizing bacteria for such different solid matrices, also focusing on the effect of solid concentration and of different substrata. The achieved results have evidenced that metal solubilization seems to be strongly influenced by the metal speciation and partitioning in the solid matrix. No biological effect was observed for Ni, Zn, As, Cr mobilization from marine sediments (34%, 44%, 15%, 10% yields, respectively) due to metal partitioning. On the other hand, for spent refinery catalysts (Ni, V, Mo extractions of 83%, 90% and 40%, respectively) and fluorescent powders (Zn and Y extraction of 55% and 70%, respectively), the improvement in metal extraction observed in the presence of a microbial activity confirms the key role of Fe/S oxidizing bacteria and ferrous iron. A negative effect of solid concentration was in general observed on bioleaching performances, due to the toxicity of dissolved metals and/or to the solid organic component.

• OSTI ID: 21612973
• Journal Information: Waste Management, Vol. 32, Issue 5; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2011.10.014; PII: S0956-053X(11)00473-9; Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0956-053X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
BACTERIA
BIOTECHNOLOGY
CATALYSTS
CATHODE RAY TUBES
EXTRACTION
FLUORESCENCE
GLASS
HEAVY METALS
IRON
POWDERS
RECYCLING
SEDIMENTS
SOLID WASTES
SOLIDS
TOXICITY
ELECTRON TUBES
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
LUMINESCENCE
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
PHOTON EMISSION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WASTES