169925 20260306154908.0 doi 10.1007/s40831-026-01434-x sideral 148454 ART-2026-148454 eng Magdalena, Ricardo (orcid)0000-0002-7115-5902 Environmental Impacts of Recovering Li, Co, and Mn from Li-Ion Batteries via Hydrometallurgical Sulfuric Acid Processing 2026 The global demand for metals has experienced a critical increase in recent decades, and this trend is anticipated to persist in the coming years. Notably, the electric and electronic devices (EEE) sector and the electric vehicle industry are emerging as significant contributors to this heightened demand. Within these domains, the key player in terms of metal consumption is the battery, with Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries being the predominant choice due to their efficiency. Several methods have been investigated to recover metals from Li-ion batteries, focusing on the recovery without assessing the impacts generated. To address this gap, an experimental analysis focused on the recovery of crucial metals found in smartphones and laptop batteries, including lithium (Li), cobalt (Co), and manganese (Mn) was conducted. Then, the life cycle assessment was undertaken to calculate the environmental impacts of the hydrometallurgical route by using sulfuric acid and to analyze the ecological footprint associated with the recycling process. The acquired experimental data served as a basis for simulating the recycling process using specialized software, HSC Chemistry. This simulation facilitated the process's scaling up and enabled optimization and precise calculation of reagents and water usage during recycling. Thus, this study not only explores the difficulties of recycling processes but also the impacts associated with them, offering valuable insights into the ongoing discussions around responsible and sustainable practices in response to the growing global demand for metals. Access copy available to the general public Unrestricted info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/101003587/EU/leading the TRansion of the European Automotive SUpply chain towards a circulaR futurE/TREASURE This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No H2020 101003587-TREASURE info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/PID2023-148401OB-I00 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess by https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Palacios, Jose-Luis Moreno, Katherine Ascaso, Sonia Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0003-4202-9437 Endara, Diana 5005 555 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Ing.Quím.Tecnol.Med.Amb. Área Ingeniería Química (2026), [13 pp.] Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy 2199-3823 1956523 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/169925/files/texto_completo.pdf Versión publicada 1799366 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/169925/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Versión publicada oai:zaguan.unizar.es:169925 articulos driver 2026-03-06-14:50:37 ARTICLE