Biotechnological route for sustainable recovery of high-value metals

高价值金属可持续回收的生物技术路线

• 批准号: BB/X011445/1
• 负责人: Abhishek Lahiri
• 金额: $ 38.63万
• 依托单位: Brunel University London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FX011445%2F1
• 关键词: Biotechnological; route; sustainable; recovery; value

The UK generates about 500 kilotons of electronic wastes every year of which most of it is exported, landfilled or incinerated. Similarly, for batteries, it is estimated that 339 kilotons of battery waste will be generated in UK by 2040 from electric vehicles only. Currently, pilot/commercial scale tests for battery recycling only exists in Europe. In terms of the UK, this not only increases the recycling costs but deprives the country from the possibility of recovering critical metals. The current recycling route such as pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy and direct recycling are mostly applied for recycling metals from Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) and batteries. However, all these techniques have their disadvantages such as high energy usage, capital costs, wastes generated (usually highly hazardous and toxic wastes) at the end of the process. In this project we will develop a novel and sustainable biotechnological process in combination with electrochemical process for bioleaching and recovery of metals from WEEE and batteries. The major tasks in this project will be: 1. Developing novel biotechnological processes (ex. photo-autotropic routes) for the production of various bio-ionic liquids 2. Developing methods for the extraction of bio-ionic liquids. 3. Quantifying and optimising the performance of bio-ionic liquids in bioleaching and electrochemical recovery of valuable metals (e.g. Cu, Ni, Co, Zn and Au).

英国每年产生约50万吨电子废物，其中大部分被出口、填埋或焚烧。同样，对于电池，据估计，到2040年，英国仅电动汽车就将产生339千吨电池废物。目前，电池回收的中试/商业规模测试仅在欧洲存在。就英国而言，这不仅增加了回收成本，而且剥夺了该国回收关键金属的可能性。目前的回收路线，如火法冶金，湿法冶金和直接回收主要用于回收废旧电子电气设备（WESTERN & ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT）和电池中的金属。然而，所有这些技术都有其缺点，例如高能耗、资本成本、在工艺结束时产生的废物（通常是高度危险和有毒的废物）。在这个项目中，我们将开发一种新的和可持续的生物技术过程，结合电化学过程，用于生物浸出和回收废物和电池中的金属。本项目的主要任务是：1.开发新的生物技术过程（例如，光自致路线）用于生产各种生物离子液体2.生物离子液体萃取方法之发展。3.量化和优化生物离子液体在有价值金属（例如Cu、Ni、Co、Zn和Au）的生物浸出和电化学回收中的性能。