Pre-electrochemical treatment combined with fixed bed biofilm reactor for pyridine wastewater treatment: From performance to microbial community analysis

Abstract

To overcome the high biotoxicity and poor biodegradability of pyridine and its derivatives, a pre-electrochemical treatment combined with fixed bed biofilm reactor (EC-FBBR) was designed for multi-component stream including pyridine (Pyr), 3-cyanopyridine (3-CNPyr), and 3-chloropyridine (3-ClPyr). The EC-FBBR system could simultaneously degrade these pollutants with a mineralization efficiency of 90%, especially for the persistent 3-ClPyr. Specifically, the EC could partially degrade all pollutants, and allow them to be completely destructed in FBBR. With EC off, Rhodococcus (35.5%) became the most abundant genus in biofilm, probably due to its high tolerance to 3-ClPyr. With EC on, 3-ClPyr was reduced to an acceptable level, thus Paracoccus (21.1%) outcompeted among interspecies competition with Rhodococcus and became the dominant genus. Paracoccus was considered to participate in the subsequent degradation for the residual 3-ClPyr, and led to the complete destruction for all pollutants. This study proposed promising combination for effective treatment of multi-component pyridine wastewater.

Keywords: 3-chloropyridine (3-ClPyr); Biofilm reactor; Microbial community; Pre-electrochemical treatment; Pyridine wastewater.