Abstract
Copper recovery from printed circuit boards (PCB) from waste mobile phones was investigated using a two-step bioleaching process. The method consists of a first step where Fe(II) ions are biologically oxidised to Fe(III) by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Later, Fe (III) ions are put in contact with the PCBs for copper solubilisation. At the conditions tested in the present work, the Fe(II) bio-oxidation (first step) was almost completed in 48 h. Two different methods (filtration and sedimentation) for biomass separation before the second step were tested. No significance differences between both separation methods were observed in terms of the overall process efficiency. In both cases, using 7.5 g/L of e-waste concentration, copper recovery of 95–100% were obtained in only 48 h. In order to test an inexpensive and environmental friendly method to recovery the copper from the leachate solution, cementation of Cu (II) with metallic iron was performed. The copper powder obtained had purity of 64.8%.
Graphic Abstract
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hsu, E., Barmak, K., West, A.C., Park, A.H.A.: Advancements in the treatment and processing of electronic waste with sustainability: a review of metal extraction and recovery technologies. Green Chem. 21, 919–936 (2019)
Fornalczyk, A., Willner, J., Francuz, K., Cebulski, J.: E-waste as a source of valuable metals. Arch. Mater. Sci. Eng. 63, 87–92 (2013)
Arshadi, M., Mousavi, S.M.: Multi-objective optimization of heavy metals bioleaching from discarded mobile phone PCBs: Simultaneous Cu and Ni recovery using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Sep. Purif. Technol. 147, 210–219 (2015)
Chen, Y., Chen, M., Li, Y., Wang, B., Chen, S., Xu, Z.: Impact of technological innovation and regulation development on e-waste toxicity: a case study of waste mobile phones. Sci. Rep. 8, 1–9 (2018)
Hagelüken, C.: Mining our computers -opportunities and challenges to recover scarce and valuable metals from end-of-life electronic devices. Electron. Goes Green 2008, 623–628 (2008)
Pascual, P., Nadal, J.: El coure: Producció i consum a l’era industrial. (2008)
Cui, J., Zhang, L.: Metallurgical recovery of metals from electronic waste: a review. J. Hazard. Mater. 158, 228–256 (2008)
Chen, S., Yang, Y., Liu, C., Dong, F., Liu, B.: Column bioleaching copper and its kinetics of waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Chemosphere 141, 162–168 (2015)
Dong, Y., Lin, H., Xu, X., Zhou, S.: Bioleaching of different copper sulfides by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and its adsorption on minerals. Hydrometallurgy 140, 42–47 (2013)
Rohwerder, T., Gehrke, T., Kinzler, K., Sand, W.: Bioleaching review part A: progress in bioleaching: fundamentals and mechanisms of bacterial metal sulfide oxidation. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 63, 239–248 (2003)
Olson, G.J., Briyazierley, J.A., Brierley, C.L.: Bioleaching review part B: progress in bioleaching: applications of microbial processes by the minerals industries. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 63, 249–257 (2003)
Dorado, A.D., Solé, M., Lao, C., Alfonso, P., Gamisans, X.: Effect of pH and Fe(III) ions on chalcopyrite bioleaching by an adapted consortium from biogas sweetening. Miner. Eng. 39, 36–38 (2012)
Qu, Y., Lian, B.: Bioleaching of rare earth and radioactive elements from red mud using Penicillium tricolor RM-10. Bioresour. Technol. 136, 16–23 (2013)
Klink, C., Eisen, S., Daus, B., Heim, J., Schlömann, M., Schopf, S.: Investigation of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in pure and mixed-species culture for bioleaching of Theisen sludge from former copper smelting. J. Appl. Microbiol. 120, 1520–1530 (2016)
Mražíková, A., Marcinčáková, R., Kaduková, J., Velgosová, O.: Influence of bacterial culture to copper bioleaching from printed circuit boards. Inz. Miner. 14, 59–62 (2013)
Willner, J., Fornalczyk, A.: Extraction of metals from electronic waste by bacterial leaching. Environ. Prot. Eng. 39, 197–208 (2013)
Choi, M.S., Cho, K.S., Kim, D.S., Kim, D.J.: Microbial recovery of copper from printed circuit boards of waste computer by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. J. Environ. Sci. Health 39, 2973–2982 (2004)
Liang, G., Tang, J., Liu, W., Zhou, Q.: Optimizing mixed culture of two acidophiles to improve copper recovery from printed circuit boards (PCBs). J. Hazard. Mater. 250–251, 238–245 (2013)
Bas, A.D., Deveci, H., Yazici, E.Y.: Bioleaching of copper from low grade scrap TV circuit boards using mesophilic bacteria. Hydrometallurgy 138, 65–70 (2013)
Ilyas, S., Anwar, M.A., Niazi, S.B., Afzal Ghauri, M.: Bioleaching of metals from electronic scrap by moderately thermophilic acidophilic bacteria. Hydrometallurgy 88, 180–188 (2007)
Isildar, A., van de Vossenberg, J., Rene, E.R., van Hullebusch, E.D., Lens, P.N.L.: Two-step bioleaching of copper and gold from discarded printed circuit boards (PCB). Waste Manag. 57, 149–157 (2016)
Zhu, N., Xiang, Y., Zhang, T., Wu, P., Dang, Z., Li, P., Wu, J.: Bioleaching of metal concentrates of waste printed circuit boards by mixed culture of acidophilic bacteria. J. Hazard. Mater. 192, 614–619 (2011)
Xia, M.C., Wang, Y.P., Peng, T.J., Shen, L., Yu, R.L., Liu, Y.D., Chen, M., Li, J.K., Wu, X.L., Zeng, W.M.: Recycling of metals from pretreated waste printed circuit boards effectively in stirred tank reactor by a moderately thermophilic culture. J. Biosci. Bioeng. 123, 714–721 (2017)
Brandl, H., Bosshard, R., Wegmann, M.: Computer-munching microbes: metal leaching from electronic scrap by bacteria and fungi. Hydrometallurgy 59, 319–326 (2001)
Hubau, A., Minier, M., Chagnes, A., Joulian, C., Silvente, C., Guezennec, A.G.: Recovery of metals in a double-stage continuous bioreactor for acidic bioleaching of printed circuit boards (PCBs). Sep. Purif. Technol. 238, 116481 (2020)
Millero, F.: Speciation of metals in natural waters. Geochem. Trans. 2, 56–64 (2001)
Hogle, S.L., Barbeau, K.A., Gledhill, M.: Heme in the marine environment: From cells to the iron cycle. Metallomics. 6, 1107–1120 (2014)
Shah, M.B., Tipre, D.R., Purohit, M.S., Dave, S.R.: Development of two-step process for enhanced biorecovery of Cu–Zn–Ni from computer printed circuit boards. J. Biosci. Bioeng. 120, 167–173 (2015)
Yang, Y., Chen, S., Li, S., Chen, M., Chen, H., Liu, B.: Bioleaching waste printed circuit boards by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and its kinetics aspect. J. Biotechnol. 173, 24–30 (2014)
Shah, M.B., Tipre, D.R., Dave, S.R.: Chemical and biological processes for multi-metal extraction from waste printed circuit boards of computers and mobile phones. Waste Manag. Res. 32, 1134–1141 (2014)
Zhang, C., Cai, Y., Wang, J., Bai, J., Zhou, Y., Wu, W., Mao, W.: Recovery of copper from bio-leaching solutions of waste printed circuit boards waste by ion exchange. In: Proceedings of 2010 International Conference on Digital Manufacturing and Automation, ICDMA 2010 (2010)
Khattab, I.A., Shaffei, M.F., Shaaban, N.A., Hussein, H.S., Abd El-Rehim, S.S.: Electrochemical removal of copper ions from dilute solutions using packed bed electrode. Part II. Egypt. J. Pet. 22, 205–210 (2013)
Agrawal, R., Kapoor, M.: Theoretical considerations of the cementation of copper with iron. JS Afr. Inst. Min. Met. 82, 106–111 (1982)
Jhajharia, R., Jain, D., Sengar, A., Goyal, A., Soni, P.R.: Synthesis of copper powder by mechanically activated cementation. Powder Technol. 301, 10–15 (2016)
Rossi, G., Trois, P., Visca, P.: In-situ pilot semi-commercial bioleaching test at the San Valentino di Predoi mine (Northern Italy). In: Fundamental and Applied Biohydrometallurgy: Proceedings of the Sixth International Symposium on Biohydrometallurgy. pp. 173–189 (1986)
Agate, A.D., Khinvasara, N.J.: Bioleaching of copper ores and concentrate of malankhand area, India. Biotechnol. Bioeng. Symp. 16, 83–90 (1986)
Dib, A., Makhloufi, L.: Cementation treatment of copper in wastewater: mass transfer in a fixed bed of iron spheres. Chem. Eng. Process. Process Intensif. 43, 1265–1273 (2004)
Jeffery, G.H., Bassett, J., Mendham, J., Denney, R.C.: Vogel’s Textbook of Quantitative Chemical Analysis. Longman Scientific & Technical, England (1989)
Barron, J.L., Luecking, D.R.: Growth and maintenance of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans cells. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 56, 2801–2806 (1990)
Veit, H.M., de Pereira, C.C., Bernardes, A.M.: Using mechanical processing in recycling printed wiring boards. Jom 54, 45–47 (2002)
Ayres, R.U.: Metals recycling: economic and environmental implications. Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 21, 145–173 (1997)
Bizzo, W.A., Figueiredo, R.A., De Andrade, V.F.: Characterization of printed circuit boards for metal and energy recovery after milling and mechanical separation. Materials (Basel). 7, 4555–4566 (2014)
Kobe, K.A., Dickey, W.: Oxidation of ferrous sulfate solutions with oxygen. Ind. Eng. Chem. 37, 429–431 (1945)
Yazici, E.Y., Deveci, H.: Ferric sulphate leaching of metals from waste printed circuit boards. Int. J. Miner. Process. 133, 39–45 (2014)
Xiang, Y., Wu, P., Zhu, N., Zhang, T., Liu, W., Wu, J., Li, P.: Bioleaching of copper from waste printed circuit boards by bacterial consortium enriched from acid mine drainage. J. Hazard. Mater. 184, 812–818 (2010)
Hubau, A., Minier, M., Chagnes, A., Joulian, C., Perez, C., Guezennec, A.G.: Continuous production of a biogenic ferric iron lixiviant for the bioleaching of printed circuit boards (PCBs). Hydrometallurgy 180, 180–191 (2018)
Kaksonen, A.H., Morris, C., Rea, S., Li, J., Wylie, J., Usher, K.M., Ginige, M.P., Cheng, K.Y., Hilario, F., Du Plessis, C.A.: Biohydrometallurgical iron oxidation and precipitation: part I—effect of pH on process performance. Hydrometallurgy 147–148, 255–263 (2014)
Torres, R., Lapidus, G.T.: Copper leaching from electronic waste for the improvement of gold recycling. Waste Manag. 57, 131–139 (2015)
Anastassakis, G.N., Bevilacqua, P., De Lorenzi, L.: Recovery of residual copper from low-content tailings derived from waste electrical cable treatment. Int. J. Miner. Process. 143, 105–111 (2015)
Alers, G.B., Lu, X., Sukamto, J.H., Reid, J., Harm, G.: Influence of copper purity on microstructure and electromigration. In: Proceedings of IEEE 2004 Internationa Interconnect Technology Conference 45–47 (2004)
Sinha, R., Chauhan, G., Singh, A., Kumar, A., Acharya, S.: A novel eco-friendly hybrid approach for recovery and reuse of copper from electronic waste. J. Environ. Chem. Eng. 6, 1053–1061 (2018)
David, D.J., Pradhan, D., Das, T.: Evaluation of iron oxidation rate of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in presence of heavy metal ions. Miner. Process. Extr. Metall. 117, 56–61 (2008)
Cho, K.S., Ryu, H.W., Choi, H.M.: Toxicity evaluation of complex metal mixtures using reduced metal concentrations: application to iron oxidation by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 18, 1298–1307 (2008)
Acknowledgements
This work has been founded by the project 2016LLAV00034 founded by AGAUR and FEDER funds. Eva Benzal gratefully acknowledges a FPU-2014 predoctoral scholarship from Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (Spain) and co-financed by FEDER funds.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Benzal, E., Solé, M., Lao, C. et al. Elemental Copper Recovery from e-Wastes Mediated with a Two-Step Bioleaching Process. Waste Biomass Valor 11, 5457–5465 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-020-01040-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-020-01040-2