Biological processing of scrap metal, household waste and/or industrial waste for the isolation of heavy metals

US10829833B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• B.R.A.I.N. Biotechnology Research and Information Network AG · DE

Inventors

• Stephen Gos · Miltenberg, DE
• Andrea Christiansen · Rostock, DE
• Xin Lu · Palo Alto, US
• Guido Meurer · Seeheim-Jugenheim, DE
• Yvonne Tiffert · Mannheim, DE
• Esther Gabor · Zwingenberg, DE
• Benedikt Hoffmann · Aschaffenburg, DE
• Martin Langer · Karlsruhe, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 30, 2016
• Grant date: Nov 10, 2020
• Expiry date: Dec 9, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P10/20
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention provides a process of isolating or enriching a heavy metal present in a liquid medium. The process comprising the following steps: (a) incubating a suspension containing (i) particulate scrap metal, household waste and/or industrial waste containing a heavy metal in elemental form and (ii) biomass comprising a bacterium, or a combination of two or more bacteria, capable of binding the heavy metal; (b) separating the biomass having bound heavy metal from the suspension of step (a); and (c) isolating the heavy metal from the biomass separated in step (b).