Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Palladium and gold removal and recovery from precious metal solutions and electronic scrap leachates by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Biotechnology Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Biomass of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans was used to recover Au(III) as Au(0) from test solutions and from waste electronic scrap leachate. Au(0) was precipitated extracellularly by a different mechanism from the biodeposition of Pd(0). The presence of Cu2+ (∼2000 mg/l) in the leachate inhibited the hydrogenase-mediated removal of Pd(II) but pre-palladisation of the cells in the absence of added Cu2+ facilitated removal of Pd(II) from the leachate and more than 95% of the Pd(II) was removed autocatalytically from a test solution supplemented with Cu(II) and Pd(II). Metal recovery was demonstrated in a gas-lift electrobioreactor with electrochemically generated hydrogen, followed by precipitation of recovered metal under gravity. A 3-stage bioseparation process for the recovery of Au(III), Pd(II) and Cu(II) is proposed.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anon (2005) Accustain® silver stain (modified GMS) procedure No. HT100. Sigma-Aldrich Ltd. http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/sigma/general%20infomation/ht100.pdf

  • Chassary P, Vincent T, Marcano JS, Macaskie LE, Guibal E (2005) Palladium and platinum recovery from bicomponent mixtures using chitosan derivatives. Hydrometallurgy 76:131–147

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Vargas I, Macaskie LE, Guibal E (2004) Biosorption of palladium and platinum by sulphate-reducing bacteria. J Chem Technol Biotechnol 79:49–56

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DeVargas I, Sanyahumbi D, Ashworth AM, Hardy CM, Macaskie LE (2005) Use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to elucidate the mechanism of palladium and platinum biosorption by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans biomass. In: Harrison STL, Rawlings DE, Petersen J (eds) Proceedings, 16th Int. Biohydrometallurgy Symposium Cape Town South Africa. Published by 16th International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium, Cape Town, South Africa, 2005. ISBN 1-920051-17-1, pp 605–616

  • Essa AMM, Macaskie LE, Brown NL (2005) A new method for mercury removal. Biotechnol Letts 27:1649–1655

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Essa AMM, Creamer NJ, Brown NL, Macaskie LE (2006) A new approach to the remediation of heavy metal liquid wastes via off-gases produced by Klebsiella pneumoniae M426. Biotechnol. Bioeng. (in press)

  • Fu JK, Liu YY, GU PY, Tang DL, Lin ZY, Yao BX, Weng SZ (2000) Spectroscopic characterization on the bisorption and bioreduction of Ag(I) by Lactobacillus sp. AO9 Acta Physico-Chim Sin 16:779–782

    Google Scholar 

  • Gadd GM, White C (1993) Microbial treatment of metal pollution: a working biotechnology? Trends Biotechnol 11:353–359

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gadd GM (1992) Microbial Control of heavy metal pollution Soc. Gen. Microbiol. Symp. No 48. In: Fry JC, Gadd GM, Herbert RA, Jones CW, Watson-Craik IA (eds), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge UK pp␣59–88

  • Gericke M, Pinches A (2005) Biological synthesis of metal nanoparticles. In: Harrison STL, Rawlings DE, Petersen J (eds) Proceedings, 16th Int. Biohydrometallurgy Symposium Cape Town South Africa. Published by 16th International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium, Cape Town, South Africa, 2005. ISBN 1-920051-17-1, pp 299–307

  • Henderson J (2004) Novel bio-electrochemical technology for the recovery of precious metals from electronic scrap Final Report Contract No CT1095, Project No␣85840, Department of Transport and Industry, London UK

  • Humphries AC, Macaskie LE (2005) Chromate reduction by immobilized palladized bacteria Biotechnol. Bioeng. (in press)

  • Kashefi K, Tor JM, Nevin KP, Lovely DR (2001) Reductive precipitation of gold by dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing Bacteria and Archaea. Appl Environ Microbiol 67:3275–3279

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klaus T, Joerger R, Olsson E, Granqvist C-G (1999) Silver-based crystalline nanoparticles, microbially fabricated. Proc Natl Acad Sci 96:13611–13614

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Korobushkina ED, Korobushkin IM (1986) Interaction of gold with bacteria and the formation of new gold. Dokl Akad Nauk SSSR 287:978–986

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koski JP (1981) Silver methenamine-borate (SMB): cost reduction with technical improvement in silver nitrate-gold chloride impregnations. J Histotechnol 4:115–116

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd JR (2003) Microbial reduction of metals and radionuclides. FEMS Microbiol Rev 27:411–425

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd JR, Yong P, Macaskie LE (1998) Enzymatic recovery of elemental palladium by using sulfate-reducing bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 64:4607–4609

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd JR, Lovley DR, Macaskie LE (2003) Biotechnological application of metal-reducing microorganisms. Adv Appl Microbiol 53:85–128

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd JR, Anderson RT, Macaskie LE (2005) Bioremediation of metals and radionuclides. In: Atlas R, Philp J (eds) Bioremediation: applied microbial solutions to real-world environmental cleanup. AMS Press Washington, USA, pp 293–318

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovley DR, Giovannoni SJ, White DC, Champine JE, Phillips EJP, Gorby YA, Goodwin S (1993) Geobacter metallireducens gen. nov. sp. nov., a microorganism capable of coupling the complete oxidation of organic compounds to the reduction of Fe(III) and other metals. Arch Microbiol 159:336–344

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Macaskie LE, Yong P, Paterson-Beedle M (2004). Bacterial precipitation of metal phosphates. In: E. Valsami-Jones (eds) Phosphorus in environmental technologies. IWA Publishing, London, England, pp 549–581

    Google Scholar 

  • Mabbett AN, Sanyahumbi D, Yong P, Macaskie LE (2005) Biorecovered precious metals from industrial wastes: single step conversion of mixed metal liquid waste to bioinorganic catalyst (“MMBio-Pd(0)”) with environmental application. Environ. Sci. Technol. (in press)

  • Mikheenko IP (2004) Nanoscale palladium recovery. PhD Thesis, University of Birmingham, UK

  • Mikheenko IP, Mikheenko PM, Dementin S Rousset M, Macaskie LE (2005) Nanoengineering of ferromagnetic palladium in hydrogenase negative mutants of Desulfovibrio fructosovorans. In: Harrison STL, Rawlings DE, Petersen J (eds) Proceedings, 16th Int. Biohydrometallurgy Symposium Cape Town South Africa. Published by 16th International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium, Cape Town, South Africa, 2005 ISBN 1-920051-17-1, pp 383–387

  • Mulvaney P (2001) Not all that’s gold does glitter. MRS Bulletin December 2001, pp 1–6

  • Redwood MD, Deplanche K, Yong P Baxter-Plant VS, Macaskie LE (2005) Biomass-supported palladium catalysts on Desulfovibrio and Rhodobacter. In: Harrison STL, Rawlings DE, Petersen J (eds) Proceedings, 16th Int. Biohydrometallurgy Symposium Cape Town South Africa. Published by 16th International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium, Cape Town, South Africa, 2005 ISBN 1-920051-17-1, pp 335–342

  • Sanyahumbi D, de Vargas I, Climo M, Mabbett AN, Yong P, Macaskie LE (2005) Selective biosorption of palladium and platinum from bi and multimetallic solutions In Harrison STL, Rawlings DE, Petersen J (eds) Proceedings, 16th Int. Biohydrometallurgy Symposium Cape Town South Africa. Published by 16th International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium, Cape Town, South Africa, 2005 ISBN 1-920051-17-1, pp 571–579

  • Yong P, Rowson NA, Farr JPG, Harris IR, Macaskie LE (2002) Bioreduction and bio-crystallization of palladium by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans NCIMB 8307. Biotechnol Bioeng 80:369–379

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yong P, Rowson NA, Farr JPG, Harris IR, Macaskie LE (2003) A novel electrobiotechnology for the recovery of precious metals from spent automotive catalysts. Environ. Technol 24:289–297

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This demonstration study was supported by the UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) ‘Biowise’ Programme (Project No. 85840) ‘Novel Bio-electrochemical Technology for the Recovery of Precious Metals from Electronic Scrap’, in conjunction with the Onyx Environmental Trust for the leachate preparation and the demonstration reactor at C-Tech Innovation Ltd. LEM was seconded to C-Tech Innovation, supported by an Industrial Fellowship from the BBSRC and Royal Society. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Dr. ‘Vic’ Baxter-Plant, who died tragically on 18th May 2006.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biosciences, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK

    Neil J. Creamer, Victoria S. Baxter-Plant & Lynne E. Macaskie

  2. C-Tech Innovation Ltd., Capenhurst Technology Park, Chester, CH1 6EH, UK

    John Henderson & M. Potter

Authors
  1. Neil J. Creamer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Victoria S. Baxter-Plant
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. John Henderson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Potter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Lynne E. Macaskie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lynne E. Macaskie.

Additional information

Victoria S. Baxter-Plant – Deceased

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Creamer, N.J., Baxter-Plant, V.S., Henderson, J. et al. Palladium and gold removal and recovery from precious metal solutions and electronic scrap leachates by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans . Biotechnol Lett 28, 1475–1484 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-006-9120-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-006-9120-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation