Presentation Information
[3EMT-06]Microbial Electrochemical Technology for Metal Recovery: Closing the Lithium Loop
○Claudio Avignone Rossa1, Marina Ramirez Moreno1, Siddharth Gadkari2, Jhuma Sadhukhan3 (1. School of Biosciences, University of Surrey (UK), 2. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Surrey (UK), 3. School of Engineering, University of Surrey (UK))
Keywords:
MIcrobial Electrochemical Technology,Bioleaching,Bioelectrochemistry
The increase in the electric vehicle sector is projected to generate over thirteen million ton of spent lithium ion batteries by 2030. There is an urgent need for sustainable and efficient methods for metal recovery to replace the current strategies for lithium extraction from natural sources, such as brine pools and hard rock ores. Existing conventional recycling methods, primarily pyrometallurgical and acid hydrometallurgical processes, are energy intensive, environmentally harmful, and often ineffective for selective recovery of lithium.
We present here an integrated three step biotechnological developed for recovery of lithium from LiNiCoMnO2 cathode materials. In the first step, a leaching process was carried out using oxalic acid biologically produced by Penicillium oxalicum at a concentration of approx 8mM, which enables partial solubilization of metals such as Li, Mg, Co, and Ni from a 5 g per litre suspension of LiNiCoMnO2 powder, the "black mass" residue of Li battery waste. Under these conditions, selective lithium extraction of up to 99% was achieved.
The resulting leachate was subsequently treated in a microbial desalination cell where 87% of lithium was recovered in the catholyte as lithium hydroxide, LiOH, with a specific energy consumption of 10.5kWh per kilogram of lithium recovered, approximately 30% lower than the standard methods. In the final step, lithium carbonate was precipitated by sparging carbon dioxide through the alkaline catholyte.
This integrated biobased strategy combining selective bioleaching and bioelectrochemical treatment, results in a very high lithium recovery efficiency, with competitive energy performance, and eliminating the need for harsh chemicals. It offers a promising foundation for sustainable and circular valorization of end of life lithium ion batteries.
We present here an integrated three step biotechnological developed for recovery of lithium from LiNiCoMnO2 cathode materials. In the first step, a leaching process was carried out using oxalic acid biologically produced by Penicillium oxalicum at a concentration of approx 8mM, which enables partial solubilization of metals such as Li, Mg, Co, and Ni from a 5 g per litre suspension of LiNiCoMnO2 powder, the "black mass" residue of Li battery waste. Under these conditions, selective lithium extraction of up to 99% was achieved.
The resulting leachate was subsequently treated in a microbial desalination cell where 87% of lithium was recovered in the catholyte as lithium hydroxide, LiOH, with a specific energy consumption of 10.5kWh per kilogram of lithium recovered, approximately 30% lower than the standard methods. In the final step, lithium carbonate was precipitated by sparging carbon dioxide through the alkaline catholyte.
This integrated biobased strategy combining selective bioleaching and bioelectrochemical treatment, results in a very high lithium recovery efficiency, with competitive energy performance, and eliminating the need for harsh chemicals. It offers a promising foundation for sustainable and circular valorization of end of life lithium ion batteries.
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