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Acosta-Santoyo G, Treviño-Reséndez J, Robles I, Godínez LA, García-Espinoza JD. A review on recent environmental electrochemistry approaches for the consolidation of a circular economy model. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 346:140573. [PMID: 38303389 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Availability of raw materials in the chemical industry is related to the selection of the chemical processes in which they are used as well as to the efficiency, cost, and eventual evolution to more competitive dynamics of transformation technologies. In general terms however, any chemically transforming technology starts with the extraction, purification, design, manufacture, use, and disposal of materials. It is important to create a new paradigm towards green chemistry, sustainability, and circular economy in the chemical sciences that help to better employ, reuse, and recycle the materials used in every aspect of modern life. Electrochemistry is a growing field of knowledge that can help with these issues to reduce solid waste and the impact of chemical processes on the environment. Several electrochemical studies in the last decades have benefited the recovery of important chemical compounds and elements through electrodeposition, electrowinning, electrocoagulation, electrodialysis, and other processes. The use of living organisms and microorganisms using an electrochemical perspective (known as bioelectrochemistry), is also calling attention to "mining", through plants and microorganisms, essential chemical elements. New process design or the optimization of the current technologies is a major necessity to enhance production and minimize the use of raw materials along with less generation of wastes and secondary by-products. In this context, this contribution aims to show an up-to-date scenario of both environmental electrochemical and bioelectrochemical processes for the extraction, use, recovery and recycling of materials in a circular economy model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Acosta-Santoyo
- Centro de Investigación en Química para la Economía Circular, CIQEC. Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de Las Campanas, SN, Querétaro, Querétaro, 76010, Mexico
| | - José Treviño-Reséndez
- Centro de Investigación en Química para la Economía Circular, CIQEC. Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de Las Campanas, SN, Querétaro, Querétaro, 76010, Mexico
| | - Irma Robles
- Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico en Electroquímica S.C., Parque Tecnológico Querétaro, Sanfandila, 76703, Pedro Escobedo, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Luis A Godínez
- Centro de Investigación en Química para la Economía Circular, CIQEC. Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de Las Campanas, SN, Querétaro, Querétaro, 76010, Mexico
| | - Josué D García-Espinoza
- Centro de Investigación en Química para la Economía Circular, CIQEC. Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de Las Campanas, SN, Querétaro, Querétaro, 76010, Mexico.
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Torres WR, Zeballos NC, Flexer V. Effect of [Na +]/[Li +] concentration ratios in brines on lithium carbonate production through membrane electrolysis. Faraday Discuss 2023; 247:101-124. [PMID: 37477538 DOI: 10.1039/d3fd00051f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Lithium is a fundamental raw material for the production of rechargeable batteries. The technology currently in use for lithium salts recovery from continental brines entails the evaporation of huge water volumes in desert environments. It also requires that the native brines reside for not less than a year in open air ponds, and is only applicable to selected compositions, not allowing its application to more diluted brines such as those geothermally sourced or waters produced from the oil industry. We have proposed an alternative technology based on membrane electrolysis. In three consecutive water electrolyzers, fitted alternately with anion and cation permselective membranes, we have shown, at proof-of-concept level, that it is possible to sequentially recover lithium carbonate and several by-products, including magnesium and calcium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, H2 and HCl. The big challenge is to bring this technology closer to practical implementation. Thus, the issue is how to apply relatively well-known electrochemical technology principles to large volumes and to a highly complex and saline broth. We have studied the application of this new methodology to ternary mixtures (NaCl, LiCl and KCl) with constant LiCl and KCl composition and increasing NaCl content. Results showed very similar behaviour for systems containing [Na+]/[Li+] concentration ratios ranging from 1.24 to 4.80. The voltage developed between the anode and cathode is almost the same in all systems at roughly 3.5 V when a constant current density of 50 A m-2 is applied. The three monovalent cations migrate with different rates across the cation exchange membrane, with Li+ being the most sluggish and thus crystallization of Li2CO3 only occurs close to completion of the electrolysis. The dimensionless concentration profiles are almost indistinguishable despite the changes in total salinity. The solids crystallized from different feeds showed higher Na+ and K+ contents as the initial Na+ concentration was increased. However, solids with over 99.9% purity in Li2CO3 could be obtained after a simple re-suspension treatment in hot water. The electrochemical energy consumption greatly increases with higher Na+ concentrations, and the amount of fresh water that can be recovered is diminished.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter R Torres
- Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Materiales Avanzados y Almacenamiento de Energía de Jujuy-CIDMEJu (CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Jujuy), Av. Martijena S/N, Palpalá, 4612, Argentina.
| | - Nadia C Zeballos
- Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Materiales Avanzados y Almacenamiento de Energía de Jujuy-CIDMEJu (CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Jujuy), Av. Martijena S/N, Palpalá, 4612, Argentina.
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial (INTI) Sede Jujuy, Av. Martijena S/N, Palpalá, 4612, Argentina
| | - Victoria Flexer
- Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Materiales Avanzados y Almacenamiento de Energía de Jujuy-CIDMEJu (CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Jujuy), Av. Martijena S/N, Palpalá, 4612, Argentina.
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Carvela M, Mena IF, Raschitor A, Lobato J, Rodrigo MA. Towards the Electrochemical Retention of CO
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: Is it Worth it? ChemElectroChem 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/celc.202101080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mireya Carvela
- Chemical Engineering Department Enrique Costa Building, Av. Camilo Jose Cela 12 13004 Ciudad Real Spain
| | - Ismael F. Mena
- Chemical Engineering Department Enrique Costa Building, Av. Camilo Jose Cela 12 13004 Ciudad Real Spain
| | - Alexandra Raschitor
- Chemical Engineering Department Enrique Costa Building, Av. Camilo Jose Cela 12 13004 Ciudad Real Spain
| | - Justo Lobato
- Chemical Engineering Department Enrique Costa Building, Av. Camilo Jose Cela 12 13004 Ciudad Real Spain
| | - Manuel Andrés Rodrigo
- Chemical Engineering Department Enrique Costa Building, Av. Camilo Jose Cela 12 13004 Ciudad Real Spain
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