Biosorption of rare earth elements by different microorganisms in acidic solutions

authored by: Anja Breuker, Simon F. Ritter, Axel Schippers
Abstract: Acidic solutions from metal bioleaching processes usually contain mixtures of metals in different concentrations which need to be separated and concentrated in downstream processing. Aim of this study was to explore and compare biosorption of rare earth elements (REE) by different microorganisms in acidic solutions. Biosorption of REE by bacteria and fungi showed element selective biosorption. The gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis showed a higher selectivity to ytterbium (Yb) and lutetium (Lu) than the gram-negative bacteria Leisingera methylohalidivorans and Phaeobacter inhibens. In contrast, the tested fungi (Catenulostroma chromoblastomyces, Pichia sp.) showed a preference for the middle rare earth elements. Algae exhibited a low biosorption performance. Additionally, for B. subtilis and one yeast (Pichia sp.), better results were achieved with living than dead biomass. This study compares for the first time biosorption of different microorganisms at standardized conditions at low pH und application related conditions.
External Organisation(s): Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR)
Type: Article
Journal: Metals
Volume: 10
Pages: 1-14
No. of pages: 14
ISSN: 2075-4701
Publication date: 15.07.2020
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: General Materials Science
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.3390/met10070954 (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{d701ca9c5ed14826848995eddbe54c34,
title = "Biosorption of rare earth elements by different microorganisms in acidic solutions",
abstract = "Acidic solutions from metal bioleaching processes usually contain mixtures of metals in different concentrations which need to be separated and concentrated in downstream processing. Aim of this study was to explore and compare biosorption of rare earth elements (REE) by different microorganisms in acidic solutions. Biosorption of REE by bacteria and fungi showed element selective biosorption. The gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis showed a higher selectivity to ytterbium (Yb) and lutetium (Lu) than the gram-negative bacteria Leisingera methylohalidivorans and Phaeobacter inhibens. In contrast, the tested fungi (Catenulostroma chromoblastomyces, Pichia sp.) showed a preference for the middle rare earth elements. Algae exhibited a low biosorption performance. Additionally, for B. subtilis and one yeast (Pichia sp.), better results were achieved with living than dead biomass. This study compares for the first time biosorption of different microorganisms at standardized conditions at low pH und application related conditions.",
keywords = "Acidic solution, B. subtilis, Biosorption, Pichia sp, Rare earth elements",
author = "Anja Breuker and Ritter, {Simon F.} and Axel Schippers",
note = "Funding Information: This research was part of the r4 project SEEsand funded by the German Bundesministerium f{\"u}r Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), grant number FKZ 033R163B. Acknowledgments: We thank Martine Berger from ICBM Oldenburg (Institut f{\"u}r Chemie und Biologie des Meeres) for providing biomass of L. methylohalidivorans and P.inhibens and Ruiyong Zhang (BGR) for providing the strain Pezicomycotina sp. We also thank Claudia Rathmann for delivery of wastewater samples. Many thanks for straightforward help with lab work to Gudrun Mengel-Jung (BGR. ",
year = "2020",
month = jul,
day = "15",
doi = "10.3390/met10070954",
language = "English",
volume = "10",
pages = "1--14",
journal = "Metals",
issn = "2075-4701",
publisher = "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute",
number = "7",
}