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Adaptation of the mixed culture at 1% pulp density of lithium‐ion batteries: (a) redox potential (ORP; mV) and (b) Fe²⁺ concentration (g L⁻¹).
Source publication
BACKGROUND
A bioleaching process could offer the advantage of higher metal recovery in a sustainable manner even from lithium‐ion battery (LIB) samples with very low metal concentrations. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the use of secondary resources such as LIBs for various purposes including transportation, large‐scale e...
Citations
... Using such a process for leaching polymetallic electrode powder has numerous advantages including reduction of secondary pollution (e.g. no emission of toxic gases), high efficiency, safety and low cost of the process (Alipanah et al. 2023, Biswal & Balasubramanian 2023, Moosakazemi et al. 2023, Panda et al. 2024. However, despite its competitiveness to chemical methods in terms of environmental impact, bioleaching constantly requires improvement in the scope of microorganisms or their consortiums used and optimization of the basic process parameters, such as pulp density, duration and the reactor configuration, especially concerning scaling the technology for use in the batteries recycling industry (Moosakazemi et al. 2003, Xin et al. 2016). ...
Modern production processes are characterized by the extensive demand for metal in the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries used in electronic equipment and electric vehicles. These products are essential for the functioning of today’s society, therefore, the demand for metallic raw materials increases annually, and their natural resources are overexploited. The solution to this issue is the recovery of raw materials from polymetallic waste, which includes spent lithium-ion batteries. The extraction of metals from this type of waste material has already been implemented on an industrial scale, but the priority now is to create technologies that will not only be effective in terms of metal recovery but also environmentally friendly, following sustainable development goals and the principles of a circular economy. Concerning the need for alternative ecological methods of waste processing, the concept of recovering Co, Cu, Li and Ni from waste lithium-ion batteries using a biotic and mild chemical approach was proposed. It has been determined that the biological approach to metal recovery may be a promising process in the recycling of lithium-ion battery waste since within 7 days, at a pulp density of 1% and using Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans bacteria, comparable results were obtained for the recovery of Co (25.7%), Li (48.8%) and Ni (28.3%) as for leaching with mild organic citric acid. Moreover, the fungus Aspergillus niger may be a promising microorganism used in the bioleaching of electrode powder from spent lithium-ion batteries, although the process using it requires the optimization of bioreactor parameters.
Manganese has various applications in different industries such as steel production, battery manufacturing, and chemical industries. Nowadays, high-grade manganese resources have decreased, and due to the human need for the metal manganese, the development of studies and research on new methods of manganese extracting from manganese resources, especially low-grade manganese sources, has received more attention than ever before. One of the methods of manganese extracting is leaching, which must be done under certain conditions. Leaching of manganese oxide concentrate must be done in an acidic environment with a reducing agent. Various reducing agents such as chemical reducers (hydrogen peroxide, iron sulfate), plant-based reducers (banana peel, orange peel, tea waste), organic reducers (Oxalic acid, citric acid), and microorganisms (fungi, bacteria) have been used. In this article, microorganism reducers are investigated. The indirect reduction of manganese oxides by microorganisms is a non-enzymatic conversion. The direct reduction of manganese oxides involves extracellular reductases as intermediates. Fungi indirectly reduce manganese oxides by producing extracellular metabolites. The highest recovery of manganese metal has been achieved using the Trichoderma lyticum microorganism.
The growing demand for lithium, driven by the widespread adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage systems, has sparked interest in developing low-grade lithium resources. This comprehensive review explores the types, distribution, extraction technologies, challenges, and future prospects of low-grade lithium resources. This article focuses on low-grade lithium sources such as clays, brines, coal, and coal by-products, and analyzes the principles, advantages, and limitations of key extraction techniques, including acid-alkaline leaching, bioleaching, adsorption, and membrane separation. Furthermore, this review discusses the technical, economic, and environmental sustainability challenges associated with developing low-grade lithium resources and proposes corresponding strategies. Future research should focus on improving the selectivity and efficiency of extraction and processing technologies, optimizing separation processes, and developing green and cost-effective extraction methods. Establishing supportive policy frameworks, strengthening international cooperation, and knowledge sharing are crucial for promoting the sustainable development of low-grade lithium resources. This review provides stakeholders with comprehensive insights and recommendations for addressing the growing lithium demand and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
