Phytoremediation of Soil Contaminated with Lithium Ion Battery Active Materials—A Proof-of-Concept Study

Abstract

The lithium-ion battery is the most powerful energy storage technology for portable and mobile devices. The enormous demand for lithium-ion batteries is accompanied by an incomplete recycling loop for used lithium-ion batteries and excessive mining of Li and transition metals. The hyperaccumulation of plants represents a low-cost and green technology to reduce environmental pollution of landfills and disused mining regions with low environmental regulations. To examine the capabilities of these approaches, the hyperaccumulation selectivity of Alyssum murale for metals in electrode materials (Ni, Co, Mn, and Li) was evaluated. Plants were cultivated in a conservatory for 46 days whilst soils were contaminated stepwise with dissolved transition metal species via the irrigation water. Up to 3 wt% of the metals was quantified in the dry matter of different plant tissues (leaf, stem, root) by means of inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy after 46 days of exposition time. The lateral distribution was monitored by means of micro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, revealing different storage behaviors for low and high metal contamination, as well as varying sequestration mechanisms for the four investigated metals. The proof-of-concept regarding the phytoextraction of metals from LiNi0.33Co0.33Mn0.33O2 cathode particles in the soil was demonstrated.

Recycling of Lithium‐Ion Batteries—Current State of the Art, Circular Economy, and Next Generation Recycling

“…[146,[225][226][227] Phytoremediation was also reported as one way to extract spent cathode material from storage and handling sides. [228]…”

From mine to mind and mobiles – Lithium contamination and its risk management

“…Sword-leaf dogbane, used in Chinese medicine, can accumulate >1800 mg kg -1 Li (Jiang et al, 2014). The low plant toxicity of Li combined with high bioaccumulation coefficients indicates that plants will afford little foodchain protection from Li contamination compared to other soil contaminants (Chaney, 1980, Henschel et al, 2020, Hayyat et al, 2021.…”

“…The lack of a complete Li recycling system requires disposal of Li-containing materials, such that Li can leach into the environment and present a risk to humans and ecosystems (Henschel et al, 2020, Tanveer et al, 2019. Developing cost-effective and eco-friendly remediation technologies for the sustainable management of Li-contaminated environments is necessary.…”