Interactions among microorganisms functionally active for electron transfer and pollutant degradation in natural environments

Qixing Zhou; Ruixiang Li; Tian Li; Ruiren Zhou; Zelin Hou; Xiaolin Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.eehl.2023.01.002

Interactions among microorganisms functionally active for electron transfer and pollutant degradation in natural environments

Eco Environ Health. 2023 Jan 27;2(1):3-15. doi: 10.1016/j.eehl.2023.01.002. eCollection 2023 Mar.

Authors

Qixing Zhou¹, Ruixiang Li¹, Tian Li¹, Ruiren Zhou², Zelin Hou¹, Xiaolin Zhang¹

Affiliations

¹ MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria / Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
² Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, TX 77843-2117, USA.

Abstract

Compared to single microbial strains, complex interactions between microbial consortia composed of various microorganisms have been shown to be effective in expanding ecological functions and accomplishing biological processes. Electroactive microorganisms (EMs) and degradable microorganisms (DMs) play vital roles in bioenergy production and the degradation of organic pollutants hazardous to human health. These microorganisms can strongly interact with other microorganisms and promote metabolic cooperation, thus facilitating electricity production and pollutant degradation. In this review, we describe several specific types of EMs and DMs based on their ability to adapt to different environments, and summarize the mechanism of EMs in extracellular electron transfer. The effects of interactions between EMs and DMs are evaluated in terms of electricity production and degradation efficiency. The principle of the enhancement in microbial consortia is also introduced, such as improved biomass, changed degradation pathways, and biocatalytic potentials, which are directly or indirectly conducive to human health.

Keywords: Biochemical interaction; Biodegradability; Electroactivity; Microbial consortia.

Publication types

Review