EFRI ELiS: Three-Dimensional Printable BioReactors For Sustainable Rare Earth Metal Recovery

EFRI ELiS：用于可持续稀土金属回收的三维可打印生物反应器

• 批准号: 2223735
• 负责人: Manish Kumar
• 金额: $ 200万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-09-01 至 2026-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2223735&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EFRI; ELiS; Three; Dimensional; Printable

Rare Earth elements (REEs) are a group of heavy elements that are critical to modern energy technologies and efficiency such as batteries for electric cars, energy efficient lighting, display panels, and magnets for wind turbines. However, they are energy intensive and environmentally damaging to mine and purify; and mining, in particular, could disproportionally impact disadvantaged communities. In recent years domestic production of REEs has declined to negligible levels making the US dependent on imports from other countries with important implications for energy and national security. The goal of this research is to create 3D printed assemblies of encapsulated, engineered bacteria that will be able to selectively extract REEs from ores and industrial waste products, such as coal fly ash, in an environmentally friendly way. These assemblies of printed, encapsulated bacteria will be integrated into membrane bioreactors where REEs can be easily collected with the help of separation membranes. In addition to conducting laboratory research to optimize different components in this living system, the technical and economic feasibility of the proposed approach and its social, health, environmental, and economic implications for mining communities will be evaluated. Additional benefits to society will be accomplished through education and training including the mentoring of four graduate students at the University of Texas, Austin.Rare earth elements (REEs) can help reduce worldwide dependence on fossil fuels and are necessary for many modern technologies. Current REE extraction methods are resource intensive, environmentally damaging, and in some cases disproportionally impact disadvantaged communities. Biologically promoted leaching and separation of REEs is a promising option but remains challenging due to fundamental knowledge gaps that limit selectivity, throughput, and scalability. The overall goal of this research is to engineer a living system via high-throughput printing of bioreactor droplets into functionally organized, selectively permeable structures capable of producing biological reductants and lanmodulin-type proteins to extract and concentrate REEs from low grade ores or waste streams that can then be separated for collection in membrane bioreactors. The specific research objectives are to: 1) develop microbial cultures that produce biomolecules for enhanced REE extraction and separation, 2) develop smart biological droplet architectures that enhance lanthanide transport and concentration, 3) develop a high-throughput printing method for functionally-structured, bacteria-encased droplets, and 4) integrate the desired bioreactor droplet structures into a membrane bioreactor for sustainable REE recovery and evaluate the process. The evaluation includes assessment of the ethical, social, economic, health, legal, safety, and environmental implications of replacing current REE extraction technologies with the proposed bioreactor droplet system. The successful completion of this research could have transformative impacts on REE extraction by providing domestic, sustainable, and reliable sources. New research knowledge will be incorporated into college courses, undergraduate students will be involved in research and K-12 outreach, and educational materials for REE-impacted communities will be created. The included broadening participation plan promotes retention through novel mentoring, motivates students through civic engagement, and prepares students through multidisciplinary research and coursework.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

稀土元素（RE）是一组重元素，对现代能源技术和效率至关重要，例如电动汽车的电池，节能照明，显示面板和风力涡轮机的磁铁。然而，它们是能源密集型的，对开采和净化造成环境破坏;特别是采矿可能对弱势社区造成有害影响。近年来，美国国内的稀土产量已经下降到可以忽略不计的水平，这使得美国依赖于从其他国家进口稀土，这对能源和国家安全产生了重要影响。这项研究的目标是创建封装的工程细菌的3D打印组件，这些细菌将能够以环保的方式从矿石和工业废料（如粉煤灰）中选择性地提取稀土元素。这些打印的封装细菌组件将被整合到膜生物反应器中，在分离膜的帮助下，可以很容易地收集稀土元素。除了进行实验室研究以优化这个生命系统中的不同组成部分外，还将评估拟议方法的技术和经济可行性及其对采矿社区的社会，健康，环境和经济影响。通过教育和培训，包括对德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校四名研究生的指导，将实现对社会的额外惠益。稀土元素有助于减少全球对化石燃料的依赖，是许多现代技术所必需的。目前的稀土元素提取方法是资源密集型的，对环境有害，在某些情况下会对弱势群体产生不利影响。生物促进浸出和分离的稀土是一个有前途的选择，但仍然具有挑战性，由于基本的知识差距，限制选择性，吞吐量和可扩展性。这项研究的总体目标是通过高通量打印生物反应器液滴到功能组织，选择性渗透结构，能够生产生物还原剂和lanmodulin型蛋白质，从低品位矿石或废水中提取和浓缩稀土，然后可以分离收集在膜生物反应器中的生命系统。具体的研究目标是：1）开发产生用于增强的REE提取和分离的生物分子的微生物培养物，2）开发增强镧系元素运输和浓缩的智能生物液滴架构，3）开发用于功能结构化的细菌包裹液滴的高通量打印方法，和4）将所需的生物反应器液滴结构整合到膜生物反应器中，用于可持续的REE回收并评估该方法。该评价包括评估用拟议的生物反应器液滴系统取代当前REE提取技术的伦理、社会、经济、健康、法律的、安全和环境影响。这项研究的成功完成可以通过提供国内，可持续和可靠的资源对稀土提取产生变革性影响。新的研究知识将被纳入大学课程，本科生将参与研究和K-12外展，并将为受REE影响的社区创建教育材料。包括扩大参与计划通过新颖的指导促进保留，通过公民参与激励学生，并通过多学科的研究和课程准备学生。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。