PHYTO4METAL: Development of an integrated phytomining system for the recovery of metal nanoparticles from mine waste

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The ever-growing build-up of mine waste across the planet constitutes an opportunity for the recovery of residual metals of technological significance. Whilst exploiting these low-grade resources via conventional techniques is impractical, a plant-based technique known as phytomining offers an environment-friendly and cost-effective alternative. Some plants, dubbed hyperaccumulators, can uptake extraordinary amounts of metals into their harvestable parts. What's more, under certain conditions some plants have the ability to accumulate metals like gold, silver, and copper and reduce them inside their living tissue to nanoparticles (NPs) with unique, beneficial properties. Since NPs have a myriad of biomedical, agricultural, environmental, and technological applications, there has been increased interest in biogenic NPs due to advantages over chemically synthesized NPs. In this light, producing NPs via phytomining heralds great promise as it would represent a low-cost, eco-friendly, and carbon-neutral strategy to farm nanoparticles from residues. This project brings together the expertise from Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), the University of York, the University of Edinburgh, and the University of Nottingham, along with critical industrial knowledge from Scotgold Resources and Promethean Particles. We propose the use of UK native plants for the exploitation of the Cononish gold mine tailings, and the retrieval of the biosynthesized NPs through enzymatic processing. We will conduct a comprehensive array of glasshouse and field experiments to enhance the process through several green approaches, including the use of beneficial microorganisms and environment-friendly compounds to promote plant growth and metal uptake. The harvested plant biomass will undergo advanced enzymatic processing for NP recovery. With the aim of fostering the circular bioeconomy, we will determine the potential of the waste biomass for production of value-added bioproducts. Following thorough characterisation, a preliminary evaluation of the recovered NPs potential will be carried out. The project will be complemented with a life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis for determining its environmental impacts and hot-spots identification.The project will generate unprecedented knowledge about using phytomining to produce NPs from metal-rich wastes. The proposed work will help elucidating numerous processes related to metal uptake and biosynthesis of NPs in living plants. The research will facilitate a first-time assessment of biogenic NPs, which will help inferring their potential in the industrial, agricultural, environmental, and biomedical sectors. Additionally, this proposal will enable the development of new enzyme technology to support the R&D sector, and the design of specific high-value bioproducts from the waste biomass for commercial-scale production. This project will be a critical steppingstone to the development of an important biotechnology-based solution for recovering technology-relevant metals. Indeed, its strategic value is highlighted by the participation of two key players in the UK mining and nanotechnology industry.