International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology - IRJIET International Open Access, Monthly, Peer Reviewed, Reputed Journal ISSN (online): 2581-3048

Impact Factor (2025): 6.9

DOI Prefix: 10.47001/IRJIET

E-waste Management Using Microbial Biotechnology

Abstract

Electronic waste is an alarming problem faced globally in today’s constantly changing world of technological innovations. The major challenge is to create various innovative and cost-effective ways for decontaminating polluted environments so that they are safe for human habitation, consumption and functioning of various ecosystems that support life. To date, for the management of e-waste no sound eco-friendly technique is available. Hence, biological approach using microorganisms is currently being applied for recovering leached metals from contaminated soil, groundwater, surface water polluted by e-waste, removing toxicity and decontamination of these abiotic components polluted due to e-waste. There are different technologies used for management of e-waste using microorganisms which include microremediation, phytoremediation and vermiremediation. Microremediation involves the use of various microorganisms, phytoremediation the use of plants and symbiotic microorganisms, whereas vermiremediation involves the use of earthworms and necessary associated microbes for e-waste management. These technologies are becoming attractive alternatives as compared to the primitive disposal technologies because they are cost effective, work at ambient temperatures, do not have any major environmental impacts, generate minimum secondary waste and have an inherently aesthetic nature. This paper summarizes the status of e-waste and its harmful effects on life as well as environment and use of innovative microbial biotechnological approaches for handling of e-waste and metal recovery thereof.

Country : India

1 Divyansh Rana2 Sumedha Mohan3 Sakshi Singh

  1. Student, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
  2. Associate Professor, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
  3. Student, Amity School of Fine Arts, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

IRJIET, Volume 8, Issue 4, April 2024 pp. 92-104

doi.org/10.47001/IRJIET/2024.804013

Full Paper
Download

References

  1. Achal V, Pan X, Fu Q, Zhang D. 2012. “Biomineralization Based Remediation of As (III) Contaminated Soil by Sporosarcina Ginsengisoli.” Hazard Mater. 201:178–84.
  2. Agate AD. 1996. “Recent Advances in Microbial Mining.” World J Microbiol Biotechnology 12(5):487–95.
  3. Agency, EPA US Environmental protection. 2011. “Green Remediation Best Management Practices: Sites with Leaking Underground Storage Tank Systems.” Principles for Greener Cleanups 1–6.
  4. Akintokun OB, Olufunke C, Itunu O, Michael. 2017. “Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals Using Selected Organisms Isolated from Electronic Waste Dumpsite of Two South-Western States in Nigeria.” Applied Environmental Research 39(2).
  5. Arıca MY, Bayramoğlu G. 2005. “Cr (VI) Biosorption from Aqueous Solutions Using Free and Immobilized Biomass of Lentinus Sajor-Caju: Preparation and Kinetic Characterization. Colloids and Surfaces.” Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 253:203–11.
  6. Arshadi M, Mousavi SM, Rasoulnia P. 2019. “Enhancement of Simultaneous Gold and Copper Recovery from Discarded Mobile Phone PCBs Using BacillusMegaterium:RSM Based Optimizationofeffective Factors and Evaluation Of their Interactions”WasteManage. 57, 158–167.
  7. Arshadi M., Nili S., Yaghmaei S. 2019. “Ni and Cu recovery by bioleaching from the printed circuit boards of mobile phones in non-conventional medium” J. Environ. Manag. 15:250–51.
  8. Awasthi P, Sood I, Syal S. 2008. “Isolating Diesel-Degrading Bacteria from Air.” Curr Sci 94(2):178–80.
  9. Ayyasamy PA, Lee S. 2012. “Biotransformation of Heavy Metals from Soil in Synthetic Medium Enriched with Glucose and Shewanella Sp. HN-41 at Various PH.” Geomicrobiology 29(9):843–51.
  10. Bajestani MI, Mousavi SM, Shojaosadati SA. 2014. “Bioleaching of Heavy Metals from Spent Household Batteries Using Acidithiobacillus Ferrooxidans: Statistical Evaluation and Optimization.” Sep. Purif. Technol. 132:309–316.
  11. Baldé CP. 2017. “The Global E-Waste Monitor.” UNU, ITU, ISWA.
  12. Bas AD, Deveci H, Yazici EY. 2013. “Bioleaching of Copper from Low Grade Scrap TV Circuit Boards Using Mesophilic Bacteria.” Hydrometallurgy 138:65–70.
  13. Bastiaan C, Zoeteman J, Krikke HR, Venselaar J. 2010. “Handling WEEE Waste Flows: On the Effectiveness of Producer Responsibility in a Globalizing World.” Adv. Manuf. Tech. 47:415–53.
  14. Benzerara K, Miot J, Morin G, Ona- Nguema G, Skouri-Panet F, Ferard C. 2011. “Significance, Mechanisms and Environmental Implications of Microbial Biomineralization.” CR Geoscl J. 343(2):160–67.
  15. Beolchini F, Fonti V, Dell’Anno A, Rocchetti L, Vegliò F. 2012. “Assessment of Biotechnological Strategies for the Valorization of metal Bearing Wastes.” Waste Manag. 32:949–956.
  16. Bernardes A, Bohlinger I, Rodriguez D, Milbrandt H, Wuth W. 1997. “Recycling of Printed Circuit Boards by Melting with Oxidizing/Reducing Top Blowing Process.” TMS Publishers Annual Meeting. Orlando 267:363–75.
  17. Brandl H, Bosshard R, Wegmann M. 2001. “Computer-Munching Microbes: Metal Leaching from Electronic Scrap by Bacteria and Fungi.” Hydrometallurgy 59(2):319–26.
  18. Butter TJ, Evison LM, Hancock IC, Holland FS. 1998. “The Kinetics of Metal Uptake by Microbial Biomass: Implications for the Design of a Biosorption Reactor.” Water Sci Technol 38:279–86.
  19. Chen XR, Zhang HY, Tian XY. 2000. “DMSO Application Development Prospects.” Chem. Ind. Eng. 1:53–56.
  20. Chi TD, Lee J, Pandey BD. 2011. “Bioleaching of Gold and Copper from Waste Mobile Phone PCBs by Using a Cyanogenic Bacterium.” Miner Eng 24(11):1219–22.
  21. Chojnacka K. 2009. “Biosorption and Bioaccumulation in Practice.” UK: Nova Science Publishers 137.
  22. Çolak F, Atar N, Yazıcıoğlu D, Olgun A. 2011. “Biosorption of Lead from Aqueous Solutions by Bacillus Strains Possessing Heavy-Metal Resistance.” Chemical Engineering Journal. 173:422–28.
  23. Das. 2017. “Gold Biorecovery from E-Waste.” Bioresource Technology.
  24. Demirba, A. 2001. “Heavy Metal Bioaccumulation by Mushrooms from Artificially Fortified Soils.” Food Chem. 74(3):293–301.
  25. Derek R. Lovley. 2003. “Cleaning up with Genomics: Applying Molecular Biology to Bioremediation.” Nature Reviews. Microbiology 1(1):35–44.
  26. Dursun A, Uslu G, Tepe O, Cuci Y, Ekiz H. 2003. “A Comparative Investigation on the Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metal Ions by Growing Rhizopus Arrhizus and Aspergillus Niger.” Biochemical Engineering Journal. 15:87–92.
  27. Fan T, Liu Y, Feng B, Zeng G, Yang C, Zhou M, Zhou H, Tan Z, Wang X. 2008. “Biosorption of Cadmium (II), Zinc (II) and Lead (II) by Penicillium Simplicissimum: Isotherms, Kinetics and Thermodynamics.” Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2008;160:655-661 160:655–61.
  28. Gadd GM, Xiangliang P. 2016. “Biomineralization, Bioremediation and Biorecovery of Toxic Metals and Radionuclides.” Geomicrobiology 33(3–4):175–78.
  29. Gadd, GM. 2000. “Bioremedial Potential of Microbial Mechanisms of Metal Mobilization and Immobilization.” Current Opinion in Biotechnology 271–79.
  30. Green-Ruiz C, Rodriguez-Tirado V, Gomez-Gil B. 2008. “Cadmium and Zinc Removal from Aqueous Solutions by Bacillus Jeotgali: pH, Salinity and Temperature Effects.” Bioresource Technology. 39:3864–70.
  31. Guo J, Cao B, Guo J, Xu Z. 2008. “Plate Produced by Non-Metallic Materials of Pulverized Waste Printed Circuit Boards.” Environ. Sci. Technol. 567:5267–71.
  32. Haijia S, Ying Z, Jia L, Tianwei T. 2006. “Biosorption of Ni2+ by the Surface Molecular Imprinting Adsorbent.” Process Biochemistry. 41:1422–26.
  33. Hall WJ, Williams PT. 2007. “Separation and Recovery of Materials from Scrap Printed Circuit Board.” Resour. Conserv. Recy. J. 431:691–709.
  34. Hanafi J, Jobiliong E, Christiani A, Soenarta DC, Kurniawan J, Irawan J. 2012. “Material Recovery and Characterization of PCB from Electronic Waste.” Procedia Soc Behav. Sci. 176:331–38.
  35. Horeh BN, Mousavi SM, Baniasadi M. 2018. “Use of Adapted Metal Tolerant Aspergillus Niger to Enhance Bioleaching Efficiency of Valuable Metals from Spent Lithium-Ion Mobile Phone Batteries.” J. Clean. Prod. 197:1546–1557.
  36. Huang Y, Takaoka M, Takeda N, Oshita K. 2007. “Partial Removal of PCDD/Fs, Coplanar PCBs, and PCBs from Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Fly Ash by a Column Flotation Process.” Environ. Sci. Technol. 65:257–62.
  37. Ilyas S, Lee J, Kim B. 2014. “Bio removal of Heavy Metals from Recycling Industry Electronic Waste by a Consortium of moderate Thermophiles: Process Development and Optimization.” J. Clean. Prod. 70:194–202.
  38. Işıldar A, van de Vossenberg J, Rene ER, van Hullebusch ED, Lens NL. 2016. “Two-Step Bioleaching of Copper and Gold from Discarded Printed Circuit Boards (PCB).” Waste Manag. 57:149–57.
  39. Jayakumar R. 2016. “Assessment of Soil Contamination by E-Waste Using Earthworm as a Bioindicator-A Review  Conference Paper · July 2016.” Indian Institute of Science  (July).
  40. Joo J-H, Hassan SH, Oh SE. 2010. “Comparative Study of Biosorption of Zn2+ by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and Bacillus Cereus.” International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation. 64:734–41.
  41. Juwarkar A, Yadav SK. 2010. “Bioaccumulation and Biotransformation of Heavy Metals.” Bioremediat. Technol. 167:264–84.
  42. Kinoshita K. 2003. “Metal Recovery from Non-Mounted Printed Wiring Boards via Hydrometallurgical Processing.” Hydrometallurgy 46:73–79.
  43. Kücüker MA, Nadal JB, Kuchta K. 2016. “Comparison between Batch and Continuous Reactor Systems for Biosorption of Neodymium (Nd) Using Microalgae.” International Journal of Plant, Animal and Environmental Sciences 6(3):197–203.
  44. Li P, Shrivastava Z, Gao and HC Zhang. 2004. “Printed Circuit Board Recycling: A State-of-the- Art Survey.” IEEE Trans. Electron. Packaging Manufacturing 27:33–42.
  45. Liang G, Ting J, Liu W, Zhou Q. 2013. “Optimizing Mixed Culture of Two Acidophiles to Improve Copper Recovery from Printed Circuit Boards (PCB).” J Hazard Mater 238-245;250-251.
  46. Liu, Renjie, Jingying Li, and Zhongying Ge. 2016. “Review on Chromobacterium Violaceum for Gold Bioleaching from E-Waste.” Procedia Environmental Sciences 31:947–53.
  47. Lovley DR, Coates JD. 1997. “Bioremediation of Metal Contamination. Curr.” Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 8(3):285–89.
  48. Lubell I. 2018. “5 Shocking Environmental Effects of E-Waste.”
  49. Luga A, Morar R, Samuila A, Dascalescu L. 2001. “Electrostatic Separation of Metals and Plastics from Granular Industrial Wastes.” IEEE Trans. Electron. Packaging Manufacturing 8(4):47–54.
  50. Malik A. 2004. “Metal Bioremediation through Growing Cells.” Environ. Int. 30(2):261–78.
  51. Mameri M, Boudries N, Addour L, Belhocine D, Lounici H, Grib H. 1999. “Batch Zinc Biosorption by a Bacterial Non-Living Streptomyces Rimosus Biomass.” Water Res 33:1347–54.
  52. Mankhand TR, Singh KK, Gupta SK, Das S. 2012. “Pyrolysis of Printed Circuit Boards.” Int. J. Med. Edu. 76:102–7.
  53. Michalak I. 2013. “State of the Art for the Biosorption Process - a Review.” Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology 170(6):1389–1416.
  54. Mrvčić J, Stanzer D, Šolić E, Stehlik-Tomas V. 2012. “Interaction of Lactic Acid Bacteria with Metal Ions: Opportunities for Improving Food Safety and Quality.” World Journal of Micro-Biology and Biotechnology. 28:2771–82.
  55. Narayanasamy M, Dhanasekaran D, Thajuddin N. 2017. “Biological Recovery of Metals from Electronic Waste Polluted Environment Using Microorganisms.”
  56. Natarajan G, Ting YP. 2015. “Gold Biorecovery from E-Waste: An Improved Strategy through Spent Medium Leaching with PH Modification.” Chemosphere (136):232-238.
  57. Olson GJ, Brierley JA, Brierley CL. 2003. “Bioleaching Review Part B.” Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 63(3):249–57.
  58. Özer A, Özer D. 2003. “Comparative Study of the Biosorption of Pb (II), Ni (II) and Cr (VI) Ions onto S. Cerevisiae: Determination of Biosorption Heats.” Journal of Hazardous Materials. 100:219–29.
  59. Öztürk A. 2007. “Removal of Nickel from Aqueous Solution by the Bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis.” Journal of Hazardous Materials. 147(1–2):518–23.
  60. Pradhan J, Kumar S. 2012. “Metals Bioleaching from Electronic Waste by Chromobacterium Violaceum and Pseudomonas Sp.” Waste Manag Res. 30(11):1151−1159.
  61. Prakash A, Satyanarayana T, Johri BN. 2012. “Microorganisms in Environmental Management: Microbes and Environment.” Dordrecht: Springer, New York, United States of America.
  62. Quintelas C, Rocha Z, Silva B, Fonseca B, Figueiredo H, Tavares T. 2009. “Removal of Cd (II), Cr (VI), Fe (III) and Ni (II) from Aqueous Solutions by an E. ColiBiofilm Supported on Kaolin.” Chemical Engineering Journal. 149:319–24.
  63. Rodríguez-Tirado V, Green-Ruiz C, Gómez-Gil B. 2012. “Cu and Pb Biosorption on Bacillus Thioparans Strain U3 in Aqueous Solution: Kinetic and Equilibrium Studies.” Chemical Engineering Journal. 181:352–59.
  64. Rohwerder T, GehrkeT, Kinzler K, Sand W. 2003. “Progress in Bioleaching: Fundamentals and Mechanisms of Bacterial Metal Sulfide Oxidation.” Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 134:239–48.
  65. Rotter S. 2002. “Heavy Metals in Household Waste.” Hazard Mater. 56:243–64.
  66. Samajdar A. 2018. “Electronic Pollution – The Upcoming Environmental Concern.” Environmental Pollution.
  67. Sand W, Gehre T, Jozsa PG, et al. 2001. “Biochemistry of Bacterial Leaching direct vs Indirect Bioleaching.” Hydrometallurgy 59:159–175.
  68. Sasse F, Emig G. 1998. “Chemical Recycling of Polymer Materials.” Chem. Eng. Technol. 196:777–89.
  69. Say R, Yılmaz N, Denizli A. 2003. “Biosorption of Cadmium, Lead, Mercury, and Arsenic Ions by the Fungus Penicillium Purpurogenum.” Separation Science and Technology. 38:2039–53.
  70. Say R, Yilmaz N, Denizli A. 2003. “Removal of Heavy Metal Ions Using the Fungus Penicillium Canescens.” Adsorption Science and Technology. 21:643–50.
  71. Shapiro M, Galperin V. 2005. “Air Classification of Solid Particles: A Review, Chem Eng Process.” 57:279–85.
  72. Sofu A, Sayilgan E, Guney G. 2015. “Experimental Design for Removal of Fe (II) and Zn (II) Ions by Different Lactic Acid Bacteria Biomasses.” International Journal of Environmental Research. 9:93–100.
  73. Sohaili J, Kumari S, Muniyandi S, Suhaila Mohd. 2012. “A Review on Printed Circuit Boards Waste Recycling Technologies and Reuse of Recovered Nonmetallic Materials.” IJSER 5:1–7.
  74. Srinath T, Verma T, Ramteke P, Garg SK. 2017. “Chromium (VI) Biosorption and Bioaccumulation by Chromate Resistant Bacteria.” Chemosphere 48(4):427–35.
  75. Subbaiah MV, Vijaya Y, Reddy AS, Yuvaraja G, Krishnaiah A. 2011. “Equilibrium, Kinetic and Thermodynamic Studies on the Biosorption of Cu (II) onto Trametes Versicolor Biomass.” Desalination. 276:310–16.
  76. Tabak H, Lens P, Van Hullebusch ED and Dejonghe W. 2005. “Developments in Bioremediation of Soils and Sediments Polluted with Metals and Radionuclides Microbial Processes and Mechanisms Affecting Bioremediation of Metal Contamination and Influencing Metal Toxicity and Transport.” Environ. Sci. Biotech. 4(3):115–56.
  77. Taeichang A, Lei Z. 2011. “One-Step Process for Debromination and Aerobic Mineralization of Tetrabromobisphenol-A by a Novel Ochrobactrum Sp. Isolated from an e-Waste Recycling Site.” Bioresource Technology 102:9148–54.
  78. Tran CD, Lee JC, Pandey BD, et al. 2011. “Bacterial Cyanide Generation in the Presence of Metal Ions (Na+, Mg2+, Fe2+, Pb2+) and Gold Bioleaching from Waste PCBs.” J Chem Eng Jpn 44(10):692–700.
  79. UNEP, PACE, ITU, ILO, UNIDO, UNU, Unitar, WBSCD, and WEF. 2019. “A New Circular Vision for Electronics Time for a Global Reboot.” (January):24.
  80. Velásquez L, Dussan J. 2009. “‘Biosorption and Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals on Dead and Living Biomass of Bacillus Sphaericus.’” J. Hazard. Mater. 167(3):713.
  81. Vijayaraghavan K, Yun Y. S. 2008. “Bacterial Biosorbents and Biosorption.” Biotechnology Advances. 26:266–91.
  82. Volesky, Bohumil. 1990. “Biosorption of Heavy Metals.” Florida: CRC Press.
  83. Yamawaki T. 2003. “The Gasification Recycling Technology of Plastics WEEE Containing Brominated Flame Retardants.” Fire Mater. 87:315–19.
  84. Zhang S, Forssberg E. 1997. “Mechanical Separation-Oriented Characterization of Electronic Scrap.” Resour. Conserv. Recy. 87:247–69.
  85. Zhang S, Forssberg E. 1998. “Optimization of Electrodynamics Separation for Metals Recovery from Electronic Scrap.” Resour. Conserv. Recy. J. 78:143–62.
  86. Zhang S, Forssberg E. 1999. “Intelligent Liberation and Classification of Electronic Scrap.” Powder Technol. 65:295–301.
  87. Zhou G, Zhang H, Yang W, Wu Z, Liu W, Yang C. 2020. “Bioleaching Assisted Foam Fractionation for Recovery of Gold from the Printed Circuit Boards of Discarded Cell phone.” Waste Manag. 101:200–209.
  88. Zhu P, Chen Y, Wang LY, Zhou M, Zhou J. 2013. “The Separation of Waste Printed Circuit Board by Dissolving Bromine Epoxy Resin Using Organic Solvent.” Waste Manag.46:484–8.

Copyright @ 2026-2017 IRJIET. All Right Reserved.

Developed by Byzero Technologies