Unique Registration Number: GSIC- 349
Innovator Name:
Ganesh Shantaram Chari
Contact No: +919590801963
Project Objective: Development of Bioleaching based gold extraction from E-waste using bacterial culture.
Contact Email: varadchari@gmail.com
Abstract:
Electronic waste recycling is integral part of recycling industry of modern society, not only due to its social and economic impact, but also, because it plays a vital role for the future of our planet. In the world, it is estimated that over 1 trillion tons of waste is generated including household and industrial waste.
Electronic waste or E-waste is basically electronic products that are faulty, condemned or have become obsolete and can no longer be used. E-waste includes used computers, televisions, radios, display device, tablets, refrigerators, washing machines, mobile phones, and several other used electronic products. Such materials are better reused or recycled as against allowing them to be buried under the earth which pollutes soil, water and air.
E-waste, needless to say, represents an enormous environmental hazard. However, it also presents huge opportunities for us to take the plunge. According to a recent study by Assocham- Ckinetics, India is the fifth largest e-waste producer and its e-waste generation is expected to annually grow at 30 per cent to touch 5.2 million metric tons (MT) per annum by 2020 as against the present level of 1.8 million metric tons. This, in turn, represents a huge business opportunity in e-waste recycling.
Project Outcome/result/findings:
Developed e-waste recycling using a bioleaching process by:
- Pre-processing of e-waste to obtain mixed metal powder by manual dismantling, segregation, shredding, pulverization, and separation;
- Preparing bacterial mother culture by using source samples of water and soil, isolating the strains of bioleaching interest, and stress-inducing the isolated colonies with metals;
- Bioleaching in a conical flask-based bioreactor under controlled parameters with the prepared bacterial mother culture to get a gold-laden solution.
- Separation of bioleaching solution from other biomass and gold is obtained using precipitating agents and smelting; and
- Post-processing treatment was carried out to treat waste biomass and disposed of it
safely.
Innovative Approach: (in 50 words)
Sustainable E-Waste Recycling (Novelty) : Non-working, damaged electronic and electrical devices are segregated, dismantled and recycled using sustainable recycling technologies including dry processes and bioleaching. Techno-mechanical separation processes are incorporated for recycling e-waste to get various metals, plastics, ceramics and glass while carefully stabilizing the hazardous components. Equipment’s in good working conditions are cleaned and refurbished for re-use. Unlike conventional practices of using acids, cyanides and burning process for extraction of gold, we use sustainable bioleaching process using bacteria to extract gold.
