Scalable and Consolidated Microbial Platform for Rare Earth Element Leaching and Recovery from Waste Sources.

ABSTRACT: Chemical methods for the extraction and refinement of technologically critical rare earth elements (REEs) are energy-intensive, hazardous, and environmentally destructive. Current biobased extraction systems rely on extremophilic organisms and generate many of the same detrimental effects as chemical methodologies. The mesophilic methylotrophic bacterium Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 was previously shown to grow using electronic waste by naturally acquiring REEs to power methanol metabolism. Here we show that growth using electronic waste as a sole REE source is scalable up to 10 L with consistent metal yields without the use of harsh acids or high temperatures. The addition of organic acids increases REE leaching in a nonspecific manner. REE-specific bioleaching can be engineered

SUBMITTER: Good NM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10785750 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature