SynBio team recycles rare metals

Recovering rare metals is extremely labor-intensive. Recycling them using conventional methods involves significant energy consumption and environmentally harmful emissions. Bioleaching, on the other hand, relies on microorganisms and has already established itself as a sustainable alternative for recovering metals such as copper. However, with other metals, the effectiveness of the process is limited. The student SynBio team at the University of Stuttgart has now succeeded in developing a method for recovering rare metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium.

The students of the SynBio team also rely on the bioleaching method, using microorganisms instead of high temperatures and hazardous chemicals. “We use Corynebacterium glutamicum, which we have genetically modified to produce oxalic acid,” explains Olivia Ronczka, spokesperson for the SynBio team. This acid can bind metals – especially rare metals in the platinum group – very effectively and, for example, extract them from car catalysts. “Virtually green chemistry for the recovery of metals,” says Olivia Ronczka. “With our idea, we want to show that sustainable recycling can work in industry and thereby contribute to a resource-conserving circular economy.”

17 students from the fields of Technical Biology and Chemistry worked on this idea for months. At the annual iGEM competition in Paris, the students placed in the top 5 for a Special Prize in the “Best Measurement” category, thereby qualifying for a medal. Ultimately, the jury awarded the excellent team performance with a gold medal.

The iGEM competition is something like the “Olympic Games of thinking” in the field of synthetic biology. It provides young inventors with a platform to present innovative ideas and connect with other creative minds. This year, more than 400 teams from universities and schools worldwide participated.

“This is an outstanding achievement and a well-deserved recognition of our students’ dedication,” says Professor Björn Voß, who, along with his colleagues Professor Michael Heymann and Professor Martin Siemann-Herzberg, provides academic guidance to the team. “The time and dedication the students devote to the project alongside their regular studies truly deserve the highest recognition.” 

The SynBio team is composed of students from the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in technical biology and related fields, such as chemistry. From securing sponsorship funds to developing scientific concepts, as well as conducting laboratory work and experiments, the students independently manage their research project. The current project ARALEX (“Autocatalyst Recycling via Advanced Leaching Extraction using Oxalate”) receives financial support from industrial partners. The SynBio team receives academic support from the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems (IBBS), for Biochemical Engineering (IBVT), and for Biomedical Genetics (IBMG), as well as from the Stuttgart Research Center Systems Biology (SRC SB) at the University of Stuttgart.