Project information
Project manager
Mark Dopson, Linnaeus University
Other project members
Nathan van Wyk, Linnaeus University, Nikolaos Xafenias, Linnea Lindkvist, and Maria Hammar, Chalmers Industriteknik, industry partner
Participating organisations
Linnaeus University, Chalmers Industriteknik, industry partner
Funder
Vinnova
Timetable
2025-11-03 to 2028-11-02
Subject
Ecology (Department of Biology of Environmental Science, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences)
Research group
Systems Biology of Microorganisms
Linnaeus University Centre (Lnuc)
Linnaeus University Centre for the Environment (CENWIN), Linnaeus University Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial model Systems (EEMiS)
Knowledge Environment
Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Water
More about the project
This project will develop a sustainable microbiological process to recover chromium and magnesium from metallurgical waste generated during ferrochrome steel production. While traditional metal recovery methods are energy-intensive and environmentally harmful, this study used environmental (safe) acid-producing microorganisms to biologically extract metals from industrial wastes, followed by precipitation and separation, enabling efficient metal recovery with a reduced carbon footprint.
By transforming industrial waste into valuable raw materials, the project fosters a circular economy, promoting resource efficiency and minimizing landfill disposal. The circularity of this waste mitigating solution will be evaluated and industrial symbiosis solutions suggested, securing availability of critical raw materials and supporting Sweden’s and the EU’s climate neutrality and resource security goals.
The project is part of the research within the research group Systems Biology of Microorganisms, the Linnaeus University Centre for the Environment (CENWIN) and Linnaeus University Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial model Systems (EEMiS) and the Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Water.
