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According to a report in Interesting Engineering citing a journal published in ACS Sustainable Resource Management, researchers at Boston College have identified a remarkable bacterium capable of breaking down used batteries, offering a self-sustaining method for recycling.
Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (ATF) Thrives in highly acidic conditions and can consume substances found in discarded batteries, which can help reduce both waste and energy consumption.
The findings were shared Wednesday by a chemistry team at Boston College.
“Investigating the possibility of growing bacteria using materials already present in spent batteries as a food source is an important step forward,” said Dunwei Wang, professor of chemistry, according to Interesting Engineering.
Wang, working with Babak Momeni, associate professor of biology, set out to determine whether ATF could survive on the iron present in spent batteries and efficiently extract the cathode material.
Momeni was responsible for cultivating the bacteria, while Wang used the cultures to leach battery cathodes. Additional members of the research team included research associate Wei Li, graduate student Brooke Allender, and undergraduates Mengyun Jiang and Mikayla Fahrenbrock.
Here’s how the research went
The researchers’ goal was to use materials already present in batteries, such as iron, in place of traditional nutrient sources. Their experiments showed that ATF could grow without sulphate, a commonly used but toxic additive to bacterial growth medium.
“Our results show that bacterial activity does not depend on the presence of sulfate,” Wang said.
“This is an important finding because it indicates that for future implementations, the need to transport large quantities of a toxic material can be obviated.”
Stainless steel performed better than pure iron
The team found that stainless steel, a material commonly used in real batteries, performed even better than pure iron.
“The finding that stainless steel works better than pure iron was actually a surprise,” reports Interested Engineering.
“That’s because stainless steel is a complex mixture. We didn’t expect it to work so well. But it’s a remarkable, unexpected development because stainless steel is more common in real batteries.”
India’s e-waste
India is the third largest producer of e-waste after China and the United States. However, government figures show that only 43% of the country’s e-waste was recycled last year.
Additionally, at least 80% of the sector is dominated by informal scrap dealers, whose practices can be hazardous to both the environment and human health.
To address these challenges, in September, New Delhi established a floor price that electronics manufacturers must pay recyclers. According to a Reuters report, the measure aims to formalize the recycling sector and encourage greater investment in proper e-waste management.
Our results show that bacterial activity does not depend on the presence of sulphate.
Research firm RedSeer said in February that India’s recycling rates are still low compared to the US, where they are up to five times higher, and China, where they are at least 1.5 times higher.
(With inputs from agencies, interested engineering)
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