Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Bioleaching of copper from metal concentrates of waste printed circuit boards by a newly isolated Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain Z1

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The goal of this study is to determine the potential of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain Z1 in bioleaching of metal concentrates of waste printed circuit boards (PCBs). The influences of initial pH, initial Fe(II) concentration, metal concentrates dosage, inoculation quantity and particle size on the bioleaching process were investigated and optimum conditions were determined. The results showed that 92.57 % copper leaching efficiency was achieved within 78 h in a two-step process, and 85.24 % aluminum and 95.18 % zinc were leached out after 183 h under the optimum conditions of initial pH 2.25, initial Fe(II) 9 g/L, metal concentrates dosage 12 g/L, inoculation quantity 10 % and particle size 0.178–0.250 mm. It demonstrated that metals could be efficiently leached from metal concentrates by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans Z1 and the bioleaching period was reduced 81–78 h. Therefore, the strain Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans Z1 could be suggested as a potential strain to bioleach metals from metal concentrates of waste PCBs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Watling HR (2006) The bioleaching of sulphide minerals with emphasis on copper sulphides—a review. Hydrometallurgy 84(1–2):81–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Bayat B, Sari B (2010) Comparative evaluation of microbial and chemical leaching processes for heavy metal removal from dewatered metal plating sludge. J Hazard Mater 174(1):763–769

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Gu X, Wong JW (2004) Identification of inhibitory substances affecting bioleaching of heavy metals from anaerobically digested sewage sludge. Environ Sci Technol 38(10):2934–2939

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Wu HY, Ting YP (2006) Metal extraction from municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerator fly ash—Chemical leaching and fungal bioleaching. Enzyme Microb Technol 38(6):839–847

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Kumar RN, Nagendran R (2007) Influence of initial pH on bioleaching of heavy metals from contaminated soil employing indigenous Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. Chemosphere 66(9):1775–1781

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Zagury GJ, Narasiah KS, Tyagi RD (1994) Adaptation of indigenous iron-oxidizing bacteria for bioleaching of heavy metals in contaminated soils. Environ Technol 15(6):517–530

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Chen SY, Lin JG (2001) Bioleaching of heavy metals from sediment: significance of pH. Chemosphere 44(5):1093–1102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Chen SY, Lin JG (2004) Bioleaching of heavy metals from contaminated sediment by indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in an air-lift bioreactor: effects of sulfur concentration. Water Res 38(14):3205–3214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Cerruti C, Curutchet G, Donati E (1998) Bio-dissolution of spent nickel–cadmium batteries using Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. J Biotechnol 62(3):209–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Mishra D, Kim DJ, Ralph D, Ahn JG, Rhee YH (2008) Bioleaching of metals from spent lithium ion secondary batteries using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Waste Manag 28(2):333–338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Xin B, Zhang D, Zhang X, Xia Y, Wu F, Chen S, Li L (2009) Bioleaching mechanism of Co and Li from spent lithium-ion battery by the mixed culture of acidophilic sulfur-oxidizing and iron-oxidizing bacteria. Bioresour Technol 100(24):6163–6169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Zhu N, Zhang L, Li C, Cai C (2003) Recycling of spent nickel–cadmium batteries based on bioleaching process. Waste Manag 23(8):703–708

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Brandl H, Bosshard R, Wegmann M (2001) Computer-munching microbes: metal leaching from electronic scrap by bacteria and fungi. Hydrometallurgy 59(2):319–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Ilyas S, Anwar MA, Niazi SB, Afzal Ghauri M (2007) Bioleaching of metals from electronic scrap by moderately thermophilic acidophilic bacteria. Hydrometallurgy 88(1):180–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Yang T, Xu Z, Wen J, Yang L (2009) Factors influencing bioleaching copper from waste printed circuit boards by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Hydrometallurgy 97(1):29–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Zhu N, Xiang Y, Zhang T, Wu P, Dang Z, Li P, Wu J (2011) Bioleaching of metal concentrates of waste printed circuit boards by mixed culture of acidophilic bacteria. J Hazard Mater 192(2):614–619

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Wang J, Xu J (2004) Environmental implications of PCB manufacturing in China, Electronics and the Environment, 2004 Conference Record 2004 IEEE International Symposium on, 156–158

  18. Li J, Lu H, Guo J, Xu Z, Zhou Y (2007) Recycle technology for recovering resources and products from waste printed circuit boards. Environ Sci Technol 41(6):1995–2000

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Ludwig C, Hellweg S, Stucki S (2002) Municipal solid waste management

  20. Leung AO, Duzgoren-Aydin NS, Cheung K, Wong MH (2008) Heavy metals concentrations of surface dust from e-waste recycling and its human health implications in southeast China. Environ Sci Technol 42(7):2674–2680

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Musson SE, Vann KN, Jang YC, Mutha S, Jordan A, Pearson B, Townsend TG (2006) RCRA toxicity characterization of discarded electronic devices. Environ Sci Technol 40(8):2721–2726

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Shen C, Huang S, Wang Z, Qiao M, Tang X, Yu C, Shi D, Zhu Y, Shi J, Chen X (2007) Identification of Ah receptor agonists in soil of e-waste recycling sites from Taizhou area in China. Environ Sci Technol 42(1):49–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Liang G, Mo Y, Zhou Q (2010) Novel strategies of bioleaching metals from printed circuit boards (PCBs) in mixed cultivation of two acidophiles. Enzyme Microb Technol 47(7):322–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Xiang Y, Wu P, Zhu N, Zhang T, Liu W, Wu J, Li P (2010) Bioleaching of copper from waste printed circuit boards by bacterial consortium enriched from acid mine drainage. J Hazard Mater 184(1):812–818

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Nie H, Yang C, Zhu N, Wu P, Zhang T, Zhang Y, Xing Y (2015) Isolation of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain Z1 and its mechanism of bioleaching copper from waste printed circuit boards. J Chem Technol Biotechnol 90(4):714–721

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Visca P, Bianchi E, Polidoro M, Buonfiglio V, Valenti P, Orsi N (1989) A new solid medium for isolating and enumerating Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. J Gen Appl Microbiol 35(2):71–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Stott M, Watling H, Franzmann P, Sutton D (2000) The role of iron-hydroxy precipitates in the passivation of chalcopyrite during bioleaching. Miner Eng 13(10):1117–1127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Ballor NR, Nesbitt CC, Lueking DR (2006) Recovery of scrap iron metal value using biogenerated ferric iron. Biotechnol Bioeng 93(6):1089–1094

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Choi MS, Cho KS, Kim DS, Kim DJ (2004) Microbial Recovery of Copper from Printed Circuit Boards of Waste Computer by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. J Environ Sci Health A 39(11–12):2973–2982

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Marhual N, Pradhan N, Kar R, Sukla L, Mishra B (2008) Differential bioleaching of copper by mesophilic and moderately thermophilic acidophilic consortium enriched from same copper mine water sample. Bioresour Technol 99(17):8331–8336

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Nemati M, Lowenadler J, Harrison S (2000) Particle size effects in bioleaching of pyrite by acidophilic thermophile Sulfolobus metallicus. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 53(2):173–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Wang J, Bai J, Xu J, Liang B (2009) Bioleaching of metals from printed wire boards by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and their mixture. J Hazard Mater 172(2–3):1100–1105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Liang G, Tang J, Liu W, Zhou Q (2013) Optimizing mixed culture of two acidophiles to improve copper recovery from printed circuit boards (PCBs). J Hazard Mater 250–251(4):238–245

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (51178191) and Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (NCET-11-0166).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Chong Yang, Nengwu Zhu, Weihang Shen, Ting Zhang & Pingxiao Wu

  2. The Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Nengwu Zhu & Pingxiao Wu

  3. The Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Eco-Remediation of Guangdong Regular Higher Education Institutions, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Nengwu Zhu & Pingxiao Wu

Authors
  1. Chong Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nengwu Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Weihang Shen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ting Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Pingxiao Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nengwu Zhu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yang, C., Zhu, N., Shen, W. et al. Bioleaching of copper from metal concentrates of waste printed circuit boards by a newly isolated Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain Z1. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 19, 247–255 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-015-0414-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-015-0414-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation