Scientists use tiny organisms to help solve problem with modern batteries: 'This is a crucial step'

Microbe recyclers could be the answer to sustainable, cost-effective lithium-ion battery salvaging, providing a big win for the sector that marries biological and chemical processes. 

It's part of a fascinating project tapping microorganism metabolism, according to experts from England's University of Surrey and an abstract published by UK Research and Innovation. 

Scientists working on the project have reason to be excited, citing an up to 95% lithium recovery rate from used packs. Better yet, they are hopeful the breakthrough can be applied to other expensive metals inside the energy storers, such as cobalt, all per the summary. The costly metals are often part of problematic foreign supply chains, making reuse worthwhile. 

"Lithium-ion batteries power so much of our modern technology, from phones to electric vehicles, but current recycling processes remain energy-intensive, costly, and inefficient. Our goal was to develop a bioelectrochemical system that uses microbial electrochemical technology to extract high-purity lithium from used batteries — which is currently very difficult to do," professor Claudio Avignone Rossa, principal investigator on the project, said. 

The team is testing different types of electrochemical setups, from fuel cells to tubular reactors, to see which kind can best leverage the microbe's metabolic function to remove lithium from battery waste, according to the abstract. 

It's all related to bioelectrochemical processes that can convert chemical energy into electricity. Unique chemistry-related energy production isn't unheard of, as U.S. government researchers are studying how to leverage reactions to better heat and cool buildings, lowering the power burden for the work. 

The linchpin at Surrey is IDing the right microbe to corral lithium, depositing the pricey, vital metal for later use. 

"Our work opens the door to further biotechnological innovation — bringing together techniques that have rarely been combined before to work in powerful synergy," Marina Ramirez Moreno, research fellow on the project, said in the university news release. 

Management consulting firm McKinsey & Company estimated that there will be 100 million retired batteries within the next 10 years. What's more, data collector Statista reported that the pack recycling market is forecast to grow from $3.54 billion in 2023 to nearly $24 billion in 2033.

It's an industry drawing interest, as Mercedes-Benz invested in the field by opening a battery recycling plant last year. 

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Part of the onus is that we could need tens of millions of tons of deposits, including lithium, to power the clean energy shift by 2040. While a lot, it pales in comparison to the 16.5 billion tons of dirty fossil fuels hauled from Earth each year, all according to Sustainability by Numbers. Burning the nonrenewable fuel is causing heat-trapping air pollution linked by NASA to increased risks for severe weather. 

The sustainable, recycling mindset goes beyond batteries. You can prevent old clothes and other items from ending up in landfills while saving cash with simple hacks around the house. Repurposing used containers is a great way to store odds and ends without burning dollars on cheap plastic jars and boxes, for example. 

On the battery front, Surrey's effort could also replace processes that use harmful solvents. Others typically garner only a 5% return, per the release. 

"Our next steps will focus on proposals to expand the technology to recover and separate all valuable metals from batteries, including high-value cobalt, nickel and manganese. While challenging, this is a crucial step toward establishing a truly circular battery economy," project co-lead Siddharth Gadkari said. 

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