Engineering Microbial Metal Recovery (EMMR)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Earth Atmospheric and Env Sciences
Abstract
The Engineering Microbial Metal Recovery (EMMR) consortium brings together a unique group of world-renowned academics to develop an entirely new approach for recovering valuable metals from the expanding supplies of electronic waste (e-waste), that is currently destined for disposal as landfill. Using the tools of genetic engineering, will be fine-tune naturally-occurring bacteria to recognise and accumulate metals including gold and "rare earth elements" that are common in discarded phones and batteries. Gold is one of the most valuable metals lost in e-waste, and the rare earth elements are a limited resource that are required to power our growing green economy (being vital components of electric car batteries, wind turbines and other green energy technologies). Working with industrial partners, we will test our engineered bacteria against real wastes from industry, helping convert the 40 million plus tonne global e-waste problem, to a resource that can help power the global circular economy.
Technical Summary
The aim of the Engineering Microbial Metal Recovery (EMMR) consortium is to use genetic engineering to deliver a platform technology for metal removal and biorecovery. Focusing on a robust and scalable bacterial system (Shewanella), with well-known capabilities to recover high oxidation waste metals as valuable nanoparticles, we will expand the portfolio of metals that can be targeted to include emerging e-tech metals that are currently difficult and costly to recycle. Two exemplars have been selected; Au (toxic and redox active) and REEs (non-redox active and difficult to treat). A range of novel approaches will be combined to develop a flexible platform technology that can be used to compartmentalise the chosen metal in discrete locations within the microbial cell, facilitating selective removal from complex matrices and where required the formation of functional biominerals of commercial potential. Links with key industrial partners will be facilitated by the BBSRC E3B NIBB, including companies developing consumer e-waste re-cycling (Mint: Au) and battery/catalysis technologies (JM: REEs). The EMMR project will deliver solutions for emerging and critical sector (e-waste recycling), while delivering a platform technology that can be developed for other biotechnological applications, including bioremediation and metal recovery from mine wastes, nuclear clean-up and bionanotechnology. Developing follow-on applications in these sectors, alongside scale-up and implementation plans for EMMR technologies to e-waste recycling will be an explicit output of this 24 month project.
Publications
Chivers PT
(2024)
One His, two Histhe emerging roles of histidine in cellular nickel trafficking.
in Journal of inorganic biochemistry
Egan-Morriss C
(2023)
Impact of Solution Chemistry on the Biotechnological Synthesis and Properties of Palladium Nanoparticles Palladium solution chemistry plays an important role in the bioreduction of Pd(II)
in Johnson Matthey Technology Review
Egan-Morriss C
(2022)
Biotechnological synthesis of Pd-based nanoparticle catalysts.
in Nanoscale advances
Kimber RL
(2023)
Copper bioreduction and nanoparticle synthesis by an enrichment culture from a former copper mine.
in Environmental microbiology
Xie J
(2024)
Bioproduction of cerium-bearing magnetite and application to improve carbon-black supported platinum catalysts.
in Journal of nanobiotechnology
Xie J
(2023)
Microbial Reduction of Antimony(V)-Bearing Ferrihydrite by Geobacter sulfurreducens.
in Applied and environmental microbiology
| Description | Manchester based research has delivered the following findings * Gold bioreduction and biorecovery has been optimised in Shewenalla and shown to work on authentic industrial leachates (with our industrial partner Mint Innovation). * Bioprocess variables that control the catalytic properties of gold bionanoparticle have also been identified and optimised. * REE biomineralisation in engineered Shewanella strains has also been optimised, with characterisation of REE-binding proteins also completed. * We have also studied the transcriptional response to copper, gold and silver for the native Shewanella CueR-regulated copA, as well as heterologous metal sensor regulated copper and gold resistance determinants (including the Salmonella Pgol-golT-golS and Cupriavidus PcupA-cupA-cupR operons), these systems conferring different magnitudes of metal responsive gene expression in Shewanella for use in applications. * New tools have been developed for engineering Shewanella strains and used to generate deletion mutants lacking native copA and cueR, confirming a role for this system in Shewanella copper and gold tolerance. * We have also confirmed that introducing heterologous copper and gold resistance determinants into Shewanella can confer improved copper and gold tolerance, albeit only in the absence of the endogenous cueR-copA system. EMMR collaborators in Durham and Kent have also delivered: * Bacterial systems were engineered in Kent with microcompartments harbouring the gold-binding proton GolB. These microcompartments appear to sequester Au(III). Further work using membranes enriched with GolB also display a similar property. * Durham engineered strains with increased or decreased GSH levels, and these directly correlated with altered metal tolerance. In parallel, Durham successfully calibrated a metal-sensor for its response to Au(I) (gold redox state in a bacterial cytosol) and determined Au(I) availability in cells. Through mathematical modelling using our experimentally determined biophysical parameters as well as those available in the literature, we predicted that GSH would be a strong buffer for Au(I), and showed that substantially improved transcriptional response was be observed in cells with reduced GSH in response to Au(I) stress. Conversely, GSH is predicted to be a weak cytosolic buffer for Cu(I), and the corresponding transcriptional response is poised to mitigate GSH-dependent Cu(I) toxicity. The inverse roles of GSH in Cu(I) and Au(I) buffering have implications for microbial metal tolerance and recovery in mixed waste streams. |
| Exploitation Route | Being taken forward via ELEMENTAL Eng Bio Hub |
| Sectors | Chemicals Education Energy Environment Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | Project is ongoing with several industry partners, with information and samples exchanged to help improve current industrial processes and develop new approaches to critical metal recycling. The funding of the ELEMENTAL Engineering Biology Hub has given a framework to build on this work further. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Chemicals,Electronics,Energy,Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Description | Engineering biology for critical metal recovery from industrial wastestreams |
| Amount | £1,908,141 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2024 |
| End | 02/2026 |
| Description | A talk at Bristol University, Dept of Earth Sciences. December 4th 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Contribution to final year undergraduate course |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Harnessing microbial metal reduction for the biosynthesis of high value nanoparticles from industrial waste |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Overview of research to 100+ attendees from academia and industry |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Invited seminar for Innovations in Metal Biorecovery (Bioeconomy Cluster Builder) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Invited online seminar on "Putting subsurface microbes to work: Metal recovery and biosynthesis of functional metallic nanoparticles" . Innovations in Metal Biorecovery (Bioeconomy Cluster Builder) to strengthen links between academia and industry. 8th Sept 2022 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Organisation of network meeting: Bio-recovery of technology relevant metals |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Meeting on the "Biorecovery of Technology-Relevant Metals" in December 2023 at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel Manchester, attracting 100+ attendees from academia and industry. Organised on behalf of BBSRC NIBB programme "The Elements of Bio-remediation, Bio-manufacturing & Bio-energy (E3B). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://mib-nibb.webspace.durham.ac.uk/bio-recovery-of-technology-relevant-metals/ |
| Description | Visit to Politecnico di Milano to give seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Seminar "Putting subsurface microbes to work: Metal recovery and biosynthesis of functional metallic nanoparticles" Dept Seminar. Politecnico di Milano, 1st Sept 2022 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | online lecture for mLife (Wiley) journal |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Lecture for mLife journal (500+ audience) on "Putting subsurface microbes to work: Metal recovery and biosynthesis of functional metallic nanoparticles within a circular economy" . 26th May 2023, mLife Research Forum |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |