Bioreduction of tellurite to elemental tellurium by Pseudomonas mendocina MCM B-180 and its practical application

• Published in: Hydrometallurgy Vol. 71; no. 1; pp. 243 - 248
• Main Authors: Rajwade, J.M, Paknikar, K.M
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.10.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bioreduction; Exact sciences and technology; Hydrometallurgy; Metals. Metallurgy; Photovoltaic cells; Production of metals; Production of non ferrous metals. Process materials; Pseudomonas mendocina; Tellurite; Tellurite; Pseudomonas mendocina; Bioreduction; Photovoltaic cells; Pseudomonadales; Chemical reduction; Tellurites; Bacteria; Pseudomonadaceae; Biochemistry; Bacterial leaching; Experimental study; Pseudomonas; Tellurium; Photovoltaic cell; Hydrometallurgy
• ISSN: 0304-386X; 1879-1158
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-386X(03)00162-2

A microbiological process using Pseudomonas mendocina MCM B-180 was developed for the removal of tellurite from solutions. During the process tellurite was transformed into metallic tellurium. The process, when carried out in a 2-l continuously stirred tank reactor in the presence of sucrose and diammonium hydrogen phosphate as nutrients, removed 10 mg/l tellurium in 12 h with an efficiency exceeding 99.8%. The process could sustain wide variations in pH (5.5–8.5), temperatures (25–45 °C) and initial tellurium concentration (10–100 mg/l). An integrated biosorption–bioreduction process for the treatment of waste photovoltaic modules demonstrates the utility of microbial tellurite reduction.