Cu biorecovery from electronic wastes without daily pH adjusting using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

Electronic wastes are known as the most important solid wastes in 21th century. They are producing two or three time faster than other solid waste streams. Many researchers studied bioleaching of e-wastes using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. The presence of alkaline metals cause e-wastes show an alkalinity nature. By adding e-wastes to the environment the pH of solution increases sensibly. Many researchers supposed the optimal pH range of A. ferrooxidans which is 1.5-2.5 as the optimal pH range to reach maximum recovery. So in the bioleaching process by daily pH adjusting in the range and using sensible amount of sulfuric acid, control the pH of solution about 2. In this research two same experiments, just the pH of one of them was adjusted daily, were done. In both experiments the environmental situation including pulp density of 15 g/l, inoculum 10% (v/v), the temperature of 30ºC, and shaking rate of 130 rpm was the same. For 25 days Cu recovery, bacterial count, pH, and Eh were examined. The results showed the maximum Cu recovery at the sample without pH adjusting was about 100% but at the sample with pH adjusting recovery was reduced to 90%. The bacterial count diagram showed the bacterium is well active in both experiments. To maximize recovery, reducing acid consumption, and increasing process economy there is no need to adjust the pH of solution.