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Review
. 2022 Jun 19;19(12):7508.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19127508.

Bioleaching of Typical Electronic Waste-Printed Circuit Boards (WPCBs): A Short Review

Xiaosheng Ji  1 , Mindong Yang  2 , Anping Wan  1 , Shaoqi Yu  3 , Zhitong Yao  4
Affiliations
Review

Bioleaching of Typical Electronic Waste-Printed Circuit Boards (WPCBs): A Short Review

Xiaosheng Ji et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The rapid pace of innovations and the frequency of replacement of electrical and electronic equipment has made waste printed circuit boards (WPCB) one of the fastest growing waste streams. The frequency of replacement of equipment can be caused by a limited time of proper functioning and increasing malfunctions. Resource utilization of WPCBs have become some of the most profitable companies in the recycling industry. To facilitate WPCB recycling, several advanced technologies such as pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy and biometallurgy have been developed. Bioleaching uses naturally occurring microorganisms and their metabolic products to recover valuable metals, which is a promising technology due to its cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and sustainability. However, there is sparse comprehensive research on WPCB bioleaching. Therefore, in this work, a short review was conducted from the perspective of potential microorganisms, bioleaching mechanisms and parameter optimization. Perspectives on future research directions are also discussed.

Keywords: bioleaching mechanism; biometallurgy; electronic waste; sulfur-oxidizing bacteria; waste printed circuit boards.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Metal component in WPCBs [6].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Bioleaching mechanisms of metals from WPCBs [25].
Figure 3
Figure 3
Heterotrophic and autotrophic bioleaching of WPCBs [26].
Figure 4
Figure 4
Critical steps in contact and non-contact mechanisms [28].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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