Recycling e-Waste by Co-culture Bioleaching Process

The recovery of metals from electronic waste (E-waste) has seen significant growth, driven by increased global consumption and the rapid advancement of new technologies. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are a major contributor to E-waste accumulation due to their valuable metal content. The initial pH of the bioleaching process strongly influences metal recovery and subsequent metal precipitation. Notably the work aims to one-step bioleaching, the two-step bioleaching process reduces the toxic effects of PCBs. Bioleaching research work have shown that Penicillium simplicissimum can recover metals such as copper (Cu), gold (Au), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe) more effectively than Acidithiobacillus ferroxidans