Unveiling the Potential of Microalgae for Efficient Metal Recovery from E-Waste Leachates

Electronic waste (e-waste) has emerged as one of the most critical environmental challenges of the twenty-first century. It encompasses a wide range of discarded electrical and electronic equipment, including information and communication technologies, household appliances, entertainment systems, and related components. While e-waste contains valuable recoverable materials, it also harbours hazardous substances such as toxic heavy metals, flame retardants, and persistent organic pollutants. Inadequate disposal practices, particularly open dumping and landfilling, result in the generation of toxic leachates that contaminate soil as well as surface and groundwater, posing severe threats to environmental integrity and public health. Evidence indicates that landfill leachates can infiltrate groundwater at considerable depths, exceeding permissible limits of heavy metals and metalloids and contributing to serious health disorders. Consequently, the implementation of effective e-waste management strategies and environmentally sound disposal practices is imperative to minimize its detrimental environmental and human health impacts. Microalgae systems can achieve up to 98% removal efficiency and up to five cycles reusability. In this paper, the drawbacks of the traditional methods for metal recovery from e-waste and the potential of microalgae were discussed. The downstream processing and metal extraction from microalgal biomass is critically discussed as well as strategies to support the circular economy.