Grantee Research Project Results
Rare Earth Elements Recovery Using Food Waste
EPA Grant Number: SU840166Title: Rare Earth Elements Recovery Using Food Waste
Investigators: Zhang, Wencai , Amini, Hassan , Huang, Haibo
Current Investigators: Zhang, Wencai , Amini, Hassan , Huang, Haibo , Jones, Baxter , Li, Qi , Lobeda, Katherine , Jin, Qing , Gibson, Kayla , Muhoza, Emmy
Institution: Virginia Tech
EPA Project Officer: Spatz, Kyle
Phase: I
Project Period: December 1, 2020 through November 30, 2021
Project Amount: $25,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2020) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
The project aims to recover rare earths from bastnaesite ore and coal refuse using environment-friendly chemicals converted from food waste. In the performance period of this project, small molecule organic acids, such as lactic acid and succinic acid, will be converted from food waste through fermentation and/or refinement.
Approach:
The acids will be used as organic inhibitors in the concentration of bastnaesite mineral from ore using froth flotation. Moreover, the acids will also be tested as effective lixiviants for the recovery of rare earths from calcined and non-calcined coal refuse. Laboratory experimental results will be complied for a detailed techno-economic assessment to investigate the merits of using organic acids, converted from food waste, as chemical reagents for REE recovery.
Expected Results:
This project likely leads to an innovative and cost-effective scheme for the recovery of rare earths, which will not only contribute to food waste management but also help the U.S. to establish its own supply chains of rare earth elements. The human health and wellbeing of small, rural, tribal, and/or disadvantaged communities exposed to food waste hazards can be improved by our project in terms of reducing the amount of food waste reporting to landfills.
Publications and Presentations:
Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 2 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Food processing; Extractive metallurgy; Green chemicals; Critical metals; Waste reduction.Progress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.