Bioleaching of Rare Earth Elements and Uranium From Sinai Soil, Egypt Using Actinomycetes | ||
The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine | ||
Article 18, Volume 53, Issue 1, October 2013, Pages 909-917 PDF (297.09 K) | ||
Document Type: Original Article | ||
DOI: 10.12816/0001653 | ||
Authors | ||
Maha Amin Hewedy; Abeer Ahmed Rushdy; Noha Mohammed Kamal | ||
College of Women for Arts, Science and Education, Ain Shams University Cairo, Egypt | ||
Abstract | ||
The use of microorganisms in the recovery of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and Uranium (U) from low grade ores provides an appropriate eco-friendly alternative to chemical methods used in extraction and/or removal of metals from soils, with a higher efficiency, less destruction to the environment, and lower cost from a commercial view especially given that high-grade mineral resources that can be used in the chemical extraction of metals are being depleted. The feasibility of using actinomycetes to recover REEsand Ufrom a low-grade ore occurring in an Egyptian soil in Wadi Abu Thor, Sinai, Egypt, was investigated. The most effective isolate in REEs-bioleaching was Streptomyces fungicidicus YH04, while the most effective isolate in U-bioleaching was Streptomyces aureofaciens 3001(1). Streptomyces fungicidicus YH04 bioleached 37.13% of the REEs present in the sample, while S. aureofaciens 3001(1) bioleached of 12.56% of the U present in the sample. The isolated strains of actinomycetes can be used to extract REEs and U by better, more economic and less polluting bioleaching processes instead of the chemical processes which are in common use today. | ||
Keywords | ||
Actinomycetes; Streptomyces; Rare earth elements; Uranium; Bioleaching | ||
Statistics Article View: 394 PDF Download: 1,100 |