Bacterial recovery and recycling of tellurium from tellurium-containing compounds by Pseudoalteromonas sp EPR3

摘要

AimsTellurium-based devices, such as photovoltaic (PV) modules and thermoelectric generators, are expected to play an increasing role in renewable energy technologies. Tellurium, however, is one of the scarcest elements in the earth's crust, and current production and recycling methods are inefficient and use toxic chemicals. This study demonstrates an alternative, bacterially mediated tellurium recovery process.