In-situ microbial protein production by using nitrogen extracted from multifunctional bio-electrochemical system

Qile Zhu; Xiaoyue Li; Zhenchuan Nie; Yiwen Wang; Tianqi Dang; Vagelis G Papadakis; Maria A Goula; Wen Wang; Ziyi Yang

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119050

In-situ microbial protein production by using nitrogen extracted from multifunctional bio-electrochemical system

J Environ Manage. 2023 Dec 1:347:119050. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119050. Epub 2023 Sep 24.

Authors

Qile Zhu¹, Xiaoyue Li¹, Zhenchuan Nie¹, Yiwen Wang¹, Tianqi Dang¹, Vagelis G Papadakis², Maria A Goula³, Wen Wang⁴, Ziyi Yang⁵

Affiliations

¹ Biomass Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Center, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China; College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China.
² Department of Civil Engineering, University of Patras, 26500, Rio, Patras, Greece.
³ Laboratory of Alternative Fuels and Environmental Catalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, GR-50100, Greece.
⁴ Biomass Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Center, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China; College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China. Electronic address: wangwen@mail.buct.edu.cn.
⁵ Biomass Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Center, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China; College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China. Electronic address: yangziyi0206@163.com.

PMID: 37751664
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119050

Abstract

Upgrading of waste nitrogen sources is considered as an important approach to promote sustainable development. In this study, a multifunctional bio-electrochemical system with three chambers was established, innovatively achieving 2.02 g/L in-situ microbial protein (MP) production via hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria (HOB) in the protein chamber (middle chamber), along with over 2.9 L CO₂/(L·d) consumption rate. Also, 69% chemical oxygen demand was degraded by electrogenic bacteria in the anode chamber, resulting in the 394.67 J/L electricity generation. Focusing on the NH₄⁺-N migration in the system, the current intensity contributed 4%-9% in the anode and protein chamber, whereas, the negative effect of -6.69% on contribution was shown in the cathode chamber. On the view of kinetics, NH₄⁺-N migration in anode and cathode chambers was fitted well with Levenberg-Marquardt equation (R² > 0.92), along with the well-matched results of HOB growth in the protein chamber based on Gompertz model (R² > 0.99). Further evaluating MPs produced by HOB, 0.45 g/L essential amino acids was detected, showing the better amino acid profile than fish and soybean. Multifunctional bio-electrochemical system revealed the economic potential of producing 6.69 €/m³ wastewater according to a simplified economic evaluation.

Keywords: Ammonia recovery; Hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria; In-situ synthesis; Microbial fuel cell; Microbial protein.

MeSH terms

Animals
Bacteria / metabolism
Bioelectric Energy Sources* / microbiology
Electricity
Electrodes
Hydrogen
Nitrogen / metabolism
Wastewater

Substances

Nitrogen
Wastewater
Hydrogen