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和效率至关重要的重元素，例如电动汽车电池、节能照明、显示面板和风力涡轮机磁铁。然而，它们是能源密集型的，并且对开采和净化环境有害；尤其是采矿业可能会对弱势社区产生不成比例的影响。近年来，国内稀土产量已降至可以忽略不计的水平，使得美国依赖于其他国家的进口，这对能源和国家安全具有重要影响。这项研究的目标是创建 3D 打印的封装工程细菌组件，这些组件能够以环保的方式从矿石和工业废料（例如煤粉灰）中选择性地提取稀土元素。这些打印的、封装的细菌组件将被整合到膜生物反应器中，在分离膜的帮助下可以轻松收集稀土元素。除了进行实验室研究以优化该生命系统中的不同组成部分外，还将评估所提议方法的技术和经济可行性及其对采矿社区的社会、健康、环境和经济影响。通过教育和培训，包括指导德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的四名研究生，将给社会带来额外的好处。稀土元素 (REE) 可以帮助减少全世界对化石燃料的依赖，并且是许多现代技术所必需的。目前的稀土元素提取方法是资源密集型的、对环境有害的，并且在某些情况下会对弱势社区产生不成比例的影响。生物促进稀土元素的浸出和分离是一种很有前景的选择，但由于基础知识差距限制了选择性、通量和可扩展性，因此仍然具有挑战性。这项研究的总体目标是通过高通量将生物反应器液滴打印成功能组织的、选择性渗透的结构来设计一个生命系统，该结构能够产生生物还原剂和兰莫杜林型蛋白质，以从低品位矿石或废物流中提取和浓缩稀土元素然后可以分离并收集在膜生物反应器中。具体研究目标是：1) 开发可产生生物分子的微生物培养物，以增强稀土元素的提取和分离，2) 开发可增强稀土元素传输和浓度的智能生物液滴结构，3) 开发一种高通量打印方法，用于功能结构、细菌包裹的液滴，4) 将所需的生物反应器液滴结构整合到膜生物反应器中，以实现可持续的 REE 回收并评估该过程。该评估包括评估用提议的生物反应器液滴系统取代当前的稀土元素提取技术的伦理、社会、经济、健康、法律、安全和环境影响。这项研究的成功完成可以通过提供国内、可持续和可靠的来源，对稀土元素的提取产生变革性的影响。新的研究知识将被纳入大学课程，本科生将参与研究和 K-12 推广，并将为受 REE 影响的社区创建教育材料。所包含的扩大参与计划通过新颖的指导来提高保留率，通过公民参与激励学生，并通过多学科研究和课程作业为学生做好准备。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查进行评估，被认为值得支持标准。