A practical green methodology for metal extraction from electric arc furnace dust through Yarrowia lipolytica biolixiviant

The study addresses the management of electric arc furnace dust (EAFD) generated by steel manufacturers and the challenge of metal leaching from this waste. Recognizing the scarcity of rare earth elements (REEs) and the industrial importance of manganese, the study emphasizes the urgent need for their recovery from waste. The current study presents a green approach using a biolixiviant from Yarrowia lipolytica IBRC-M30168, with crude sunflower oil as a hydrophobic carbon source with buffering properties. LC-MS analysis reveals significant citric, malic, and succinic acids production, with the highest concentrations reaching 53.3, 17.4, and 1.0 g/l. Bioleaching experiments show biolixiviants with an initial pH of 7 and 80 g/l carbon source and 5.5 and 100 g/l outperform others, resulting in 92.4 %, 23.2 %, 19.6 %, and 84.8 %, 24.2 %, and 20.6 % of manganese, dysprosium, and erbium within 9 days, with a pulp density of 10 g/l at 60 degrees C and 140 rpm. The study also explores the potential for industrial adaptation, testing a higher pulp density of 50 g/l, which resulted in leaching of 65.7 %, 10.7 %, and 7.3 % for manganese, dysprosium, and erbium after 6 days. Ultimately, the study concludes that structural analyses of the residues provide added evidence for the bioleaching process's effectiveness.