Solubilization of zinc oxide from filter dust with Penicillium simplicissimum : bioreactor leaching and stoichiometry
Filter dusts from metal-processing industries contain valuable metals which should be recycled. Some disadvantages of conventional recycling methods can be avoided by applying biohydrometallurgical methods. Fungi are suitable for such processes because they are fairly resistant to heavy metals. Furthermore, leaching activity occurs in a pH range from 2 to 7. This is important because filter dusts generally raise the pH of the medium. Leaching of zinc from zinc oxide contained in filter dust was possible in a bioreactor (stirred tank reactor) especially constructed for this purpose