Selenate and Nitrate Bioreductions Using Methane as the Electron Donor in a Membrane Biofilm Reactor

Environ Sci Technol. 2016 Sep 20;50(18):10179-86. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.6b02807. Epub 2016 Sep 1.

Abstract

Selenate (SeO4(2-)) bioreduction is possible with oxidation of a range of organic or inorganic electron donors, but it never has been reported with methane gas (CH4) as the electron donor. In this study, we achieved complete SeO4(2-) bioreduction in a membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) using CH4 as the sole added electron donor. The introduction of nitrate (NO3(-)) slightly inhibited SeO4(2-) reduction, but the two oxyanions were simultaneously reduced, even when the supply rate of CH4 was limited. The main SeO4(2-)-reduction product was nanospherical Se(0), which was identified by scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDS). Community analysis provided evidence for two mechanisms for SeO4(2-) bioreduction in the CH4-based MBfR: a single methanotrophic genus, such as Methylomonas, performed CH4 oxidation directly coupled to SeO4(2-) reduction, and a methanotroph oxidized CH4 to form organic metabolites that were electron donors for a synergistic SeO4(2-)-reducing bacterium.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biofilms*
  • Bioreactors
  • Methane / metabolism*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Selenic Acid

Substances

  • Selenic Acid
  • Methane