Study of Microbial Cultures for the Bioleaching of Scandium from Alumina Industry By-Products
The disposal of voluminous, highly alkaline, bauxite residue (BR), the industrial by-product of alumina production by the Bayer process, constitutes an intricate global environmental problem. BR, containing valuable metals such as rare-earth elements (REEs)—in particular, scandium (Sc)—can be used a...
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Metals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/11/6/951 |
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| author | Kyriaki Kiskira Theopisti Lymperopoulou Lamprini-Areti Tsakanika Charalampos Pavlopoulos Konstantina Papadopoulou Klaus-Michael Ochsenkühn Gerasimos Lyberatos Maria Ochsenkühn-Petropoulou |
| author_facet | Kyriaki Kiskira Theopisti Lymperopoulou Lamprini-Areti Tsakanika Charalampos Pavlopoulos Konstantina Papadopoulou Klaus-Michael Ochsenkühn Gerasimos Lyberatos Maria Ochsenkühn-Petropoulou |
| author_sort | Kyriaki Kiskira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The disposal of voluminous, highly alkaline, bauxite residue (BR), the industrial by-product of alumina production by the Bayer process, constitutes an intricate global environmental problem. BR, containing valuable metals such as rare-earth elements (REEs)—in particular, scandium (Sc)—can be used as a secondary source for REE extraction. The scope of this study was the investigation of bioleaching as an innovative and environmentally friendly approach for the extraction of Sc from BR. The bioleaching parameters were studied on Greek BR and experiments were performed using different microbial cultures and solid to liquid ratios (S/L). The maximum extraction of Sc was 42% using <i>Acetobacter tropicalis</i> in a one-step bioleaching process at 1% S/L. The main organic acids produced were acetic, oxalic, and citric. The bioleaching data indicated a probable synergistic effect of the different organic acids produced by microorganisms along with a more targeted leaching mechanism. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:29:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-caf1825fa0424d399fe2f08dfeb3e7c2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4701 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:29:39Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Metals |
| spelling | doaj.art-caf1825fa0424d399fe2f08dfeb3e7c22023-11-21T23:45:23ZengMDPI AGMetals2075-47012021-06-0111695110.3390/met11060951Study of Microbial Cultures for the Bioleaching of Scandium from Alumina Industry By-ProductsKyriaki Kiskira0Theopisti Lymperopoulou1Lamprini-Areti Tsakanika2Charalampos Pavlopoulos3Konstantina Papadopoulou4Klaus-Michael Ochsenkühn5Gerasimos Lyberatos6Maria Ochsenkühn-Petropoulou7Laboratory of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Polytechniou 9, 15773 Athens, GreeceProducts and Operations Quality Control Laboratory School of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Polytechniou 9, 15773 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Polytechniou 9, 15773 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Organic Chemical Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Polytechniou 9, 15773 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Organic Chemical Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Polytechniou 9, 15773 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Polytechniou 9, 15773 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Organic Chemical Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Polytechniou 9, 15773 Athens, GreeceLaboratory of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Polytechniou 9, 15773 Athens, GreeceThe disposal of voluminous, highly alkaline, bauxite residue (BR), the industrial by-product of alumina production by the Bayer process, constitutes an intricate global environmental problem. BR, containing valuable metals such as rare-earth elements (REEs)—in particular, scandium (Sc)—can be used as a secondary source for REE extraction. The scope of this study was the investigation of bioleaching as an innovative and environmentally friendly approach for the extraction of Sc from BR. The bioleaching parameters were studied on Greek BR and experiments were performed using different microbial cultures and solid to liquid ratios (S/L). The maximum extraction of Sc was 42% using <i>Acetobacter tropicalis</i> in a one-step bioleaching process at 1% S/L. The main organic acids produced were acetic, oxalic, and citric. The bioleaching data indicated a probable synergistic effect of the different organic acids produced by microorganisms along with a more targeted leaching mechanism.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/11/6/951bauxite residuescandiumbioleachingacetobacterindustrial by-productrare earth elements |
| spellingShingle | Kyriaki Kiskira Theopisti Lymperopoulou Lamprini-Areti Tsakanika Charalampos Pavlopoulos Konstantina Papadopoulou Klaus-Michael Ochsenkühn Gerasimos Lyberatos Maria Ochsenkühn-Petropoulou Study of Microbial Cultures for the Bioleaching of Scandium from Alumina Industry By-Products Metals bauxite residue scandium bioleaching acetobacter industrial by-product rare earth elements |
| title | Study of Microbial Cultures for the Bioleaching of Scandium from Alumina Industry By-Products |
| title_full | Study of Microbial Cultures for the Bioleaching of Scandium from Alumina Industry By-Products |
| title_fullStr | Study of Microbial Cultures for the Bioleaching of Scandium from Alumina Industry By-Products |
| title_full_unstemmed | Study of Microbial Cultures for the Bioleaching of Scandium from Alumina Industry By-Products |
| title_short | Study of Microbial Cultures for the Bioleaching of Scandium from Alumina Industry By-Products |
| title_sort | study of microbial cultures for the bioleaching of scandium from alumina industry by products |
| topic | bauxite residue scandium bioleaching acetobacter industrial by-product rare earth elements |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/11/6/951 |
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