USPTO Patent Granted: Synthetic Lixiviant Biology for Metal Recovery

ChangeBridge: Patent Grants - Biotech (C12N)

Published March 24th, 2026

Detected March 24th, 2026

Summary

The USPTO has granted a patent (US12584191B2) to the National University of Singapore for methods of using synthetic lixiviant biology for the recovery of precious and toxic metals from anthropogenic sources, including electronic waste. The patent covers engineered biological systems for metal recovery and cyanide remediation.

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What changed

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted patent US12584191B2 to the National University of Singapore. This patent covers an integrated synthetic lixiviant biological system designed for the recovery of precious metals and the remediation of toxic metals from electronic waste. Key aspects include synthetic cyanogenesis, metal recovery, cyanolysis, and synthetic circuits within a host bacterium, with specific mutations disclosed for mercury(II) reductase.

This patent represents a new intellectual property in the field of biotechnology for resource recovery and environmental remediation. While it does not impose direct compliance obligations on regulated entities, it may influence future research and development in the biotechnology and materials science sectors. Companies involved in metal recovery, waste management, or synthetic biology may find this patent relevant for understanding technological advancements and potential licensing opportunities.

Source document (simplified)

← USPTO Patent Grants

Using synthetic lixiviant biology for the recovery of precious and toxic metals from anthropogenic sources

Grant US12584191B2 Kind: B2 Mar 24, 2026

Assignee

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

Inventors

Wen Shan Yew, Maybelle Darlene Kho Go, Lu Ting Liow, Rashmi Rajasabhai

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to methods of biological reduction of metal-cyanide complexes after metal-cyanidation and methods of biologically hydrolysing cyanide. More particularly, the present invention allows the engineering of an integrated synthetic lixiviant biological system to be housed within a synthetic host (such as the cyanogenic Chromobacterium violaceum) for efficient precious metal recovery and toxic metal remediation of electronic waste; with up to four main components/modules in the design and engineering of the synthetic host: 1) synthetic cyanogenesis; 2) synthetic metal recovery; 3) synthetic cyanolysis; and 4) synthetic circuits for lixiviant biology. Bacteria capable of reducing ionic metal to ionic metal (such as gold or silver) as nanoparticles, comprising mercury(11) reductase (MerA) comprising a substitution mutation at position V317, Y441, C464, A323D, A414E, G415I, E416C, L417I, I418D, or A422N, are also disclosed. Processes of synthetic cyanide lixiviant production using genetically engineered bacterium transformed with a heterologous hydrogen cyanide synthase gene and a heterologous 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase mutant gene are also disclosed. Processes of synthetic cyanolysis using a genetically engineered bacterium transformed with a heterologous nitrilase gene are also disclosed.

CPC Classifications

C12B 11/08 C12N 1/06 C12N 9/0006 C12N 9/0014 C12N 9/0091 C12N 9/22 C12N 15/11 C12N 15/902 C12N 2310/20 C12N 2800/80 C12P 13/002 C12Y 101/01095 C12Y 104/99005 C12Y 116/01001