Bioleaching of nickel and cadmium metals from spent batteries using Aspergillus flavus

This study focuses on the recovery of heavy metals from e-waste using a fungus isolated from a soil sample collected from a garbage site. Molecular identification of the isolate revealed the organism to be Aspergillus flavus and was designated as AJC5. The isolate was subjected to heavy metal uptake through two mechanisms: bioaccumulation and biosorption. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was primarily used to analyse the uptake of heavy metal ions and was further confirmed by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Adsorption isotherm assessment was conducted for the biosorption activity of strain AJC5 which revealed that the process followed the Langmuir and the Freundlich modes of isotherm. The adsorbed heavy metals were comprehensively desorbed from the metal-loaded sorbent using HCl and NaOH. The activity of A. flavus strain AJC5 in bioleaching of metals from spent batteries was studied and analysed using AAS, X-ray diffraction, SEM and FTIR.