Green solutions for toxic metals: Innovative strategies for heavy metal removal and aluminum recycling

PhD Thesis

Versión Inglés

Sinopsis

This doctoral tesis presents a comprehensive investigation into the development of sustainable and cost-effective biotechnological solutions to address two critical environmental challenges: the removal of toxic heavy metals from water bodies and the recovery of valuable metals from industrial waste.  The study focuses on the application of biological materials, including dead biomass of native bacterial strains and microalgal strains, as biosorbents form cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and uranium (U), as well as the use of microbial organic acids for the  bioleaching of aluminum (AI) from beverage packaging waste. The reasearch is structured around three main pillars: (i) the identification of native bacterial strains and the optimization of their biosorption capcity as inactive matrices, (ii) the evaluation of dead microalgal biomass for heavy metal removal under different physochemical conditions, and (iii) the development of an efficient biohydrometallurgical process for aluminum recovery from complex waste matrices.

Autor(es)

Jhonny Fernando Pinaya Cruz

Supervisor(a)

Virginia Alejandra Vargas Calle