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Case study · Critical raw materials

Pd Bio-Recovery LCA & TEA Dashboard

Interactive cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment and concept-level techno-economic analysis for biosynthetic palladium recovery using a Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 biocatalyst.

Amber inputs are user-defined design parameters · All outputs update live as inputs change · Functional unit: 1 kg Pd recovered.
Pd recovered
kg/year
Buffer volume
m³/year
Tris-HCl needed
tonnes/year
NaCl needed
tonnes/year
Biocatalyst make-up
kg/year
Pd in feed (lost)
kg/year

Process Mass Flow Diagram

Bar widths are proportional to mass flow (largest input scaled to 100%). Colours indicate background (Ecoinvent), foreground (process), and recovered metal (teal).

Stoichiometric Reference Table

Stream Annual flow Unit Basis
GWP per kg Pd
kg CO₂ eq
vs IPA 2022
28,094 kg CO₂ eq baseline
vs ZA primary
23,292 kg CO₂ eq baseline
vs RU primary
4,005 kg CO₂ eq baseline

GWP benchmark comparison

Tris-HCl precursor breakdown (per kg Pd)

ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) — full impact set

Functional unit: 1 kg Pd recovered. Values scale linearly with Tris-HCl and NaCl molar concentrations relative to the 100/150 mM design point. Background datasets: Ecoinvent 3.10 (Cut-off, S).
Impact category Unit Tris-HCl chain NaCl chain Total Tris share
NPV (15-year)
USD M
IRR
%
Simple payback
years
MSP
$/kg Pd
Total Capital Investment
USD
Annual OPEX
USD/year
Annual revenue
USD/year
Annual cash flow
USD/year, post-tax

Cumulative cash-flow profile

CAPEX breakdown (purchased equipment)

OPEX breakdown

Annual operating cost line items

Line item USD/year % of OPEX Basis
Total OPEX 100.0% Σ line items

Capital cost breakdown

Equipment / cost item USD % of PEC