Circular bioeconomy and environmental benignness through microbial recycling of e-waste: A case study on copper and gold restoration. (15th February 2021) - Ilyas, Sadia
Graphical abstract: Highlights: Framework for circular bioeconomy in e-waste recycling is evaluated. Copper and gold restoration via microbial-driven extraction route is considered. Tested model based on research hypothesis is supported by the co-efficient values. Direct relation of microbial recycling to metal production yielded the highest β-value. Restoration of 51, 833 tons Cu and 58 tons Au contributes $11.5 billion metal values. Abstract: This study has attempted to ascertain the linkages between circular bio-economy (CirBioeco) and recycling of electronic (e-)waste by applying microbial activities instead of the smelter and chemical technologies. To build the research hypothesis, the advances on biotechnology-driven recycling processes for metals extraction from e-waste has been analyzed briefly. Thereafter, based on the potential of microbial techniques and research hypothesis, the structural model has been tested for a significance level of 99%, which is supported by the corresponding standardization co-efficient values. A prediction model applied to determine the recycling impact on CirBioeco indicates to re-circulate 51, 833 tons of copper and 58 tons of gold by 2030 for the production of virgin metals/raw-materials, while recycling rate of the accumulated e-waste remains to be 20%. This restoration volume of copper and gold through the microbial activities corresponds to mitigate 174 million kg CO2 emissions and 24 million m 3 water consumption if compared with the primary production activities. The study potentially opens a new window for environmentally-friendly biotechnological recycling of e-waste under the umbrella concept of CirBioeco.