EFRI ELiS: Three-Dimensional Printable BioReactors For Sustainable Rare Earth Metal Recovery

EFRI ELiS：用于可持续稀土金属回收的三维可打印生物反应器

• 批准号: 2223735
• 负责人: Manish Kumar
• 金额: $ 200万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-09-01 至 2026-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2223735&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EFRI; ELiS; Three; Dimensional; Printable

Rare Earth elements (REEs) are a group of heavy elements that are critical to modern energy technologies and efficiency such as batteries for electric cars, energy efficient lighting, display panels, and magnets for wind turbines. However, they are energy intensive and environmentally damaging to mine and purify; and mining, in particular, could disproportionally impact disadvantaged communities. In recent years domestic production of REEs has declined to negligible levels making the US dependent on imports from other countries with important implications for energy and national security. The goal of this research is to create 3D printed assemblies of encapsulated, engineered bacteria that will be able to selectively extract REEs from ores and industrial waste products, such as coal fly ash, in an environmentally friendly way. These assemblies of printed, encapsulated bacteria will be integrated into membrane bioreactors where REEs can be easily collected with the help of separation membranes. In addition to conducting laboratory research to optimize different components in this living system, the technical and economic feasibility of the proposed approach and its social, health, environmental, and economic implications for mining communities will be evaluated. Additional benefits to society will be accomplished through education and training including the mentoring of four graduate students at the University of Texas, Austin.Rare earth elements (REEs) can help reduce worldwide dependence on fossil fuels and are necessary for many modern technologies. Current REE extraction methods are resource intensive, environmentally damaging, and in some cases disproportionally impact disadvantaged communities. Biologically promoted leaching and separation of REEs is a promising option but remains challenging due to fundamental knowledge gaps that limit selectivity, throughput, and scalability. The overall goal of this research is to engineer a living system via high-throughput printing of bioreactor droplets into functionally organized, selectively permeable structures capable of producing biological reductants and lanmodulin-type proteins to extract and concentrate REEs from low grade ores or waste streams that can then be separated for collection in membrane bioreactors. The specific research objectives are to: 1) develop microbial cultures that produce biomolecules for enhanced REE extraction and separation, 2) develop smart biological droplet architectures that enhance lanthanide transport and concentration, 3) develop a high-throughput printing method for functionally-structured, bacteria-encased droplets, and 4) integrate the desired bioreactor droplet structures into a membrane bioreactor for sustainable REE recovery and evaluate the process. The evaluation includes assessment of the ethical, social, economic, health, legal, safety, and environmental implications of replacing current REE extraction technologies with the proposed bioreactor droplet system. The successful completion of this research could have transformative impacts on REE extraction by providing domestic, sustainable, and reliable sources. New research knowledge will be incorporated into college courses, undergraduate students will be involved in research and K-12 outreach, and educational materials for REE-impacted communities will be created. The included broadening participation plan promotes retention through novel mentoring, motivates students through civic engagement, and prepares students through multidisciplinary research and coursework.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

稀土元素（REE）是一组对现代能源技术至关重要的重型元素，例如电力汽车的电池，节能照明，显示面板和风力涡轮机的磁铁。但是，它们是能源密集型的，并且在环境上破坏了矿山和净化。尤其是采矿可能会对处境不利的社区产生不成比例的影响。近年来，国内REES的生产拒绝忽略不计水平，使美国依赖于其他国家的进口，对能源和国家安全产生了重要影响。这项研究的目的是创建包裹，工程细菌的3D印刷组件，以一种环保的方式从矿石和工业废品（例如煤粉）中选择性地提取REES。这些印刷，包裹的细菌的组装将集成到膜生物反应器中，在该膜上可以在分离膜的帮助下轻松收集REE。除了进行实验室研究以优化这种生活系统中的不同组成部分外，还将评估拟议方法及其对采矿社区的社会，健康，环境和经济影响的技术和经济可行性。将通过教育和培训来实现社会的其他好处，包括在德克萨斯大学的四名研究生的指导。当前的REE提取方法是资源密集的，环境破坏的，在某些情况下会影响不利的社区。 REES的生物学促进的浸出和分离是一个有前途的选择，但由于限制了选择性，吞吐量和可扩展性的基本知识差距，因此仍然具有挑战性。这项研究的总体目的是通过将生物反应器液滴的高通量打印到功能有组织的，有选择性的渗透性结构中来设计生命系统，该结构能够生产生物还原剂和LANModulin型蛋白质，从而从低级矿石或废物流中提取并浓缩Rees，然后从低级矿石或废物流中分离出来，然后分离出来，以收集在膜中收集膜中的蛋白质。 The specific research objectives are to: 1) develop microbial cultures that produce biomolecules for enhanced REE extraction and separation, 2) develop smart biological droplet architectures that enhance lanthanide transport and concentration, 3) develop a high-throughput printing method for functionally-structured, bacteria-encased droplets, and 4) integrate the desired bioreactor droplet structures into a membrane bioreactor for sustainable REE恢复并评估该过程。评估包括评估用拟议的生物反应器液滴系统代替当前REE提取技术的道德，社会，经济，法律，安全，安全和环境的影响。这项研究的成功完成可能会通过提供国内，可持续和可靠的来源对REE提取产生变革性的影响。新的研究知识将纳入大学课程，本科生将参与研究和K-12外展活动，并将创建针对REE影响社区的教育材料。纳入的扩大参与计划通过新颖的指导来促进保留率，通过公民参与激励学生，并通过多学科研究和课程为学生做好准备。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛影响的审查标准来通过评估来获得支持的。