Cooperative role of electrical stimulation on microbial metabolism and selection of thermophilic communities for p-fluoronitrobenzene treatment

Bioresour Technol. 2015:189:23-29. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.03.147. Epub 2015 Apr 3.

Abstract

A novel thermophilic bioelectrochemical system (TBES) based on electrical stimulation was established for the enhanced treatment of p-fluoronitrobenzene (p-FNB) wastewater. p-FNB removal rate constant in the TBES was 78.6% higher than that of the mesophilic BES (MBES), the elevation of which owing to high-temperature overtook the rate improvement of 50.8% in the electrocatalytic system (ECS). Additionally, an overwhelming mineralization efficiency of 91.96% ± 5.70% was obtained in the TBES. The superiority of TBES was attributed to the integrated role of electrical stimulation and high-temperature. Electrical stimulation provided an alternative for the microbial growth independent energy requirements, compensating insufficient energy support from p-FNB metabolism under the high-temperature stress. Besides, electrical stimulation facilitated microbial community evolution to form specific thermophilic biocatalysis. The uniquely selected thermophilic microorganisms including Coprothermobacter sp. and other ones cooperated to enhance p-FNB mineralization.

Keywords: Electrical stimulation; High-temperature; Thermophilic BES; Thermophilic biocatalysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / metabolism
  • Bacteria / enzymology
  • Bacteria / metabolism*
  • Biocatalysis
  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Electrochemical Techniques
  • Fluorides / analysis
  • Halogenation
  • Minerals / chemistry
  • Nitrobenzenes / isolation & purification
  • Nitrobenzenes / metabolism*
  • Oxidoreductases / metabolism
  • Temperature*

Substances

  • Minerals
  • Nitrobenzenes
  • 1-fluoro-2-nitrobenzene
  • Oxidoreductases
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases
  • Fluorides