POOJA SONAWANE, MANOJ KUMAR AND SATYA PRAKASH MISHRA
Abstract
This study investigates the feasibility of using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans for the bioleaching of metals from printed circuit boards (PCBs) of scrap mobile phones at varying pulp densities (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% w/v). While the effectiveness of A. ferrooxidans in recovering base metals from low-grade ores is well documented, its application in electronic waste (e-waste) recycling remains underexplored. The present work aims to assess the organismâs potential for mobilizing key base metals such as copper, nickel, and zinc from urban waste matrices under different pulp density conditions. Statistical analysis, including Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and F-tests, revealed a significant difference in metal recovery rates across pulp densities, with the highest bioleaching efficiency observed at 1% (w/v). These findings demonstrate the practical potential of bioleaching as a sustainable and low-impact strategy for metal recovery from e-waste, contributing to environmentally sound waste management practices and resource recovery.