Specificity of Mo and V Removal from a Spent Catalyst by Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34

Spent catalysts are classified as hazardous residues of major environmental concern, mainly due to its elevated metal content. Although conventional spent catalysts treatment methods are available, they generate harmful wastes. Thus, biotechnological approaches are currently being explored to overcome the negative impacts generated by traditional treatment technologies. The present work studied the ability of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 to remove heavy metals contained in a spent catalyst that came from an oil refining process. To this end, C. metallidurans resistance to a spent catalyst at 1% (w/w) of pulp density was evaluated, as well as its ability for the removal of the metals contained therein. The results showed that the strain was able to remove 931.56 ± 95.38 mg/kg, and 2111 ± 251.81 of Mo and V, respectively. Considering the elevated toxic nature of spent catalysts, is imminent to develop alternative methods to treat this kind of residues in order to diminish their high metal content. Hence, the data presented here exhibit the first insights into C. metallidurans ability for Mo and V removal from a spent catalyst, and explores for the first time C. metallidurans potential to be used on spent catalysts biotreatment processes.