Effects of an applied voltage on direct interspecies electron transfer via conductive materials for methane production

Advances in microbial community, mechanisms and stimulation effects of direct interspecies electron transfer in anaerobic digestion

Anaerobic digestion (AD) has been proven to be an effective green technology for producing biomethane while reducing environmental pollution. The interspecies electron transfer (IET) processes in AD are critical for acetogenesis and methanogenesis, and these IET processes are carried out via mediated interspecies electron transfer (MIET) and direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET). The latter has recently become a topic of significant interest, considering its potential to allow diffusion-free electron transfer during the AD process steps. To date, different multi-heme c-type cytochromes, electrically conductive pili (e-pili), and other relevant accessories during DIET between microorganisms of different natures have been reported. Additionally, several studies have been carried out on metagenomics and metatranscriptomics for better detection of DIET, the role of DIET's stimulation in alleviating stressed conditions, such as high organic loading rates (OLR) and low pH, and the stimulation mechanisms of DIET in mixed cultures and co-cultures by various conductive materials. Keeping in view this significant research progress, this study provides in-depth insights into the DIET-active microbial community, DIET mechanisms of different species, utilization of various approaches for stimulating DIET, characterization approaches for effectively detecting DIET, and potential future research directions. This study can help accelerate the field's research progress, enable a better understanding of DIET in complex microbial communities, and allow its utilization to alleviate various inhibitions in complex AD processes.

Enhancing sludge methanogenesis with changed micro-environment of anaerobic microorganisms by Fenton iron mud

Conductive materials have been demonstrated to enhance sludge methanogenesis, but few researches have concentrated on the interaction among conductive materials, microorganisms and their immediate living environment. In this study, Fenton iron mud with a high abundance of Fe(III) was recycled and applied in anaerobic reactors to promote anaerobic digestion (AD) process. The results show that the primary content of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) such as polysaccharides and proteins increased significantly, possibly promoting microbial aggregation. Furthermore, with the increment of redox mediators including humic substances in EPS and Fe(III) introduced by Fenton iron mud, the direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) between methanogens and interacting bacteria could be accelerated, which enhanced the rate of methanogenesis in anaerobic digestion (35.21 ± 4.53% increase compared to the control). The further analysis of the anaerobic microbial community confirmed the fact that Fenton iron mud enriched functional microorganisms, such as the abundance of CO2-reducing (e.g. Chloroflexi) and Fe(III)-reducing bacteria (e.g., Tepidimicrobium), thereby expediting the electron transfer reaction in the AD process via microbial DIET and dissimilatory iron reduction (DIR). This work will make it possible for using the recycled hazardous material - Fenton iron mud to improve the performance of anaerobic granular sludge during methanogenesis.

Interactions between arsenic migration and CH4 emission in a soil bioelectrochemical system under the effect of zero-valent iron

Dissimilatory soil arsenic (As) reduction and release are driven by microbial extracellular electron transfer (EET), while reverse EET mediates soil methane (CH₄) emission. Nevertheless, the detailed biogeochemical mechanisms underlying the tight links between soil As migration and methanogenesis are unclear. This study used a bioelectrochemical-based system (BES) to explore the potential effects of zero-valent iron (ZVI) addition on "As migration-CH₄ emission" interactions from chemical and microbiological perspectives. Voltage and ZVI amendment experiments showed that dissolved As was efficiently immobilized with increased CH₄ production in the soil BES, As release and CH₄ production exhibited a high negative exponential correlation, and reductive As dissolution could be entirely inhibited in the methanogenic stage. Gene quantification and bacterial community analysis showed that in contrast to applied voltage, ZVI changed the spatial heterogeneity of the distribution of electroactive microorganisms in the BES, significantly decreasing the relative abundance of arrA and dissimilatory As/Fe-reducing bacteria (e.g., Geobacter) while increasing the abundance of aceticlastic methanogens (Methanosaeta), which then dominated CH₄ production and As immobilization after ZVI incorporation. In addition to biogeochemical activities, coprecipitation with ferric (iron) contributed 77-93% dissolved As removal under ZVI addition. This study will enhance our knowledge of the processes and microorganisms controlling soil As migration and CH₄ emission.

Enhanced methane production in anaerobic digestion: A critical review on regulation based on electron transfer

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a potential bioprocess for waste biomass utilization and energy conservation. Various iron/carbon-based CMs (e.g., magnetite, biochar, granular activated carbon (GAC), graphite and zero valent iron (ZVI)) have been supplemented in anaerobic digestors to improve AD performance. Generally, the supplementation of CMs has shown to improve methane production, shorten lag phase and alleviate environmental stress because they could serve as electron conduits and promote direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET). However, the CMs dosage varied greatly in previous studies and CMs wash out remains a challenge for its application in full-scale plants. Future work is recommended to standardize the CMs dosage and recover/reuse the CMs. Moreover, additional evidence is required to verify the electrotrophs involved in DIET.

Effect of applying potentials on anaerobic digestion of high salinity organic wastewater

High salinity organic wastewater (HSOW) contains both organic pollutants and high concentration of inorganic salts. If it is discharged into the environment without proper treatment, it will cause adverse consequences such as dehydration and death of aquatic organisms, and soil salinization. Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) have been applied in various wastewater treatment processes. To assess the feasibility of using BESs to treat HSOW, the effect of applying potential on anaerobic digestion of HSOW was explored in an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor poised at -0.6 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). When organic loading rate (OLR) was 2.16-2.88 kg chemical oxygen demand/(m³d) (kg COD/(m³d)), the applied potential had no significant effect on the UASB performance. After OLR was increased to 4.32 kg COD/(m³d), the applied potential decreased COD removal efficiency and methane production and resulted in VFAs accumulation. Mesotoga was enriched on the electrode when potential was applied, causing decrease in relative abundances of acetoclastic methanogens. The abundance of Methanothrix on the electrode in the reactor with applied potential was much lower than in the control reactor (10% vs 28.9%), which might lead to decrease in performance of the reactor due to the depressed direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) and less formation of granular sludge. These results suggest that applying external potentials has negative effect on the anaerobic treatment of HSOW, and should be taken into consideration in real HSOW treatment projects.

Enhancing anaerobic digestion process with addition of conductive materials

Anaerobic digestion is widely used for the treatment of wastewater for its low costs and bioenergy production, but the performances of anaerobic digestion often need improving in practical applications. The addition of conductive materials could lead to direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) among the anaerobic microorganisms, and consequently enhance the efficiencies of anaerobic digestion. In this paper, the effects of DIET via conductive materials on chemical organic demand (COD) removal, volatile fatty acid (VFA) consumption and methane production were reviewed. The reports on the increase of conductive microorganisms due to the addition of conductive materials were discussed. Results regarding activities of microorganisms and morphology and properties of sludge were described and commented, and future research needs were also proposed which included better understanding of the roles of DIET in each step of anaerobic digestion, mechanisms of metabolism of pollutants in DIET-established systems and inhibition of excessive dosage of conductive materials.

Bioelectrical Methane Production with an Ammonium Oxidative Reaction under the No Organic Substance Condition

The present study investigated bioelectrical methane production from CO₂ without organic substances. Even though microbial methane production has been reported at relatively high electric voltages, the amount of voltage required and the organisms contributing to the process currently remain unknown. Methane production using a biocathode was investigated in a microbial electrolysis cell coupled with an NH₄⁺ oxidative reaction at an anode coated with platinum powder under a wide range of applied voltages and anaerobic conditions. A microbial community analysis revealed that methane production simultaneously occurred with biological denitrification at the biocathode. During denitrification, NO₃^– was produced by chemical NH₄⁺ oxidation at the anode and was provided to the biocathode chamber. H₂ was produced at the biocathode by the hydrogen-producing bacteria Petrimonas through the acceptance of electrons and protons. The H₂ produced was biologically consumed by hydrogenotrophic methanogens of Methanobacterium and Methanobrevibacter with CO₂ uptake and by hydrogenotrophic denitrifiers of Azonexus. This microbial community suggests that methane is indirectly produced without the use of electrons by methanogens. Furthermore, bioelectrical methane production occurred under experimental conditions even at a very low voltage of 0.05‍ ‍V coupled with NH₄⁺ oxidation, which was thermodynamically feasible.

Comparative evaluation on the utilization of applied electrical potential in a conductive granule packed biotrickling filter for continuous abatement of xylene: Performance, limitation, and microbial community

This study investigates the use of electrically conductive granules as packing material in biotrickling filter (BTF) systems as to provide insights on the specific microbial abundance and functions during the treatment of xylene-containing waste gas. In addition, the effect of applied potential on attached biofilm on conductive granules during xylene degradation was briefly investigated. During stable operation period, the conductive granules packed BTF achieved reactor performance of no less than 80% with a maximum EC of 137.7 g/m³ h. Under applied potential of 1V, the BTF system showed deterioration of xylene removal by ranging from 21 to 76%, which also affected the distribution and relative abundance of the major microorganisms such as Xanthobacter, Acidovorax, Rhodococcus, Hydrogenophaga, Arthrobacter, Brevundimonas, Pseudoxanthomonas, Devosia, Shinella, Sphingobium, Dokdonella, Pseudomonas and Bosea. The acclimation of applied potential led to the enrichment of autotrophic bacteria and strains, which are correlated to improved nitrogen cycling. In general, applying electrical potential is feasible to shape the microbiological structure of biofilms to selectively adjust their biochemical functions.

Applying potentials to conductive materials impairs High-loading anaerobic digestion performance by affecting direct interspecies electron transfer

In order to illustrate the impact that application of positive or negative potential to conductive materials can have on direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) and reactor performance under high organic loading rates, three continuous laboratory-scale reactors with carbon-cloth electrodes poised at +0.7 V, -0.7 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and no-potential were fed high concentrations of ethanol wastewater. While exoelectrogens and methanogens that are capable of DIET were significantly enriched in poised reactors, they performed worse than the non-current control. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) accumulated more rapidly in the positively then negatively poised reactor, but neither could withstand high-loading rates. These results demonstrate that applying potential to conductive materials had a negative effect on anaerobic digestion under high-loading conditions.

Individual and combined effects of magnetite addition and external voltage application on anaerobic digestion of dairy wastewater

Direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) between exoelectrogenic fatty acid oxidizers and electrotrophic methanogens plays an important role in keeping the overall anaerobic digestion (AD) process well-balanced. This study examined the individual and combined effects of two different DIET-promoting strategies, i.e., magnetite addition (20 mM Fe) and external voltage application (0.6 V), in continuous digesters treating dairy wastewater. Although the strategies were both effective in enhancing the process performance and stability, adding magnetite had a much greater stimulatory effect. External voltage contributed little to the methane yield, and the digester with magnetite addition alone achieved stable performance, comparable to that of the digester where both strategies were combined, at short hydraulic retention times (down to 7.5 days). Diverse (putative) electroactive microorganisms were significantly enriched under DIET-promoting conditions, particularly with magnetite addition. The overall results suggest that magnetite addition could effectively enhance AD performance and stability by promoting DIET-based electro-syntrophic microbial interactions.

Conductive materials in anaerobic digestion: From mechanism to application

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is an effective strategy combined advantages of maintaining the global carbon flux and efficient energy conversion. Various conductive materials (CMs) have been applied in anaerobic digesters to improve the performance of anaerobic fermentation and methanogenesis, including carbon-based CMs and metal-based CMs. Generally, CMs facilitated the AD thermodynamically and kinetically because they triggered more efficient syntrophic metabolism to increase electron capture capability and accelerate reaction rate as well as enhance the performance of AD stages (hydrolysis-acidification, methanogenesis). Besides, adding CMs into anaerobic digester is benefit to dealing with the deteriorating AD, which induced from temperature variation, acidified working condition, higher H₂ partial pressure, etc. However, few CMs exhibited inhibition on AD, including ferrihydrite, magnesium oxide, silver nanoparticles and carbon black. Inhibition comes from a series of complex factors, such as substrate competition, direct inhibition from Fe(III), Fe(III) reduction of methanogens, toxic effects to microorganisms and mass transfer limitation.

Effects of ferric oxide on the microbial community and functioning during anaerobic digestion of swine manure

Iron-based materials have been suggested as environmentally-friendly additives that can enhance methane production during anaerobic digestion (AD). In this study, the effects of ferric oxide (Fe₂O₃) addition on methane production were investigated during swine manure AD. In addition, the effects of Fe₂O₃ addition on the AD ternary pH buffer system and microbial community were evaluated. Fe₂O₃ could improve the accumulative methane production by maximum 11.06% when adding 75 mmol of Fe₂O₃. Higher methane production could be attributed to the enhancement of direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) and the formation of Fe-S precipitates, but not the addition of Fe₂O₃ as a nutrient. Furthermore, Fe₂O₃ addition enhanced methanogenesis rather than acetogenesis, as evinced by analysis of functional genes. Nevertheless, high-throughput sequence analysis of microbial community composition revealed the lack of a significant influence by Fe₂O₃ addition, and Fe₂O₃ addition did not significantly affect the ternary pH buffer system.

Sludge-based biochar-assisted thermophilic anaerobic digestion of waste-activated sludge in microbial electrolysis cell for methane production

The development of microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) for methane production from waste activated sludge (WAS) is arrested due to the limited methane yield and fragile system stability. This study proposed a strategy to accelerate and stabilize MEC via 1.0 g/g DM (dry matter) sludge-based biochar (BC). The results showed that BC clearly accelerated methane production by 24.7% and enhanced VS removal efficiency by 17.9%, compared to control group. Variations of SCOD, proteins, carbohydrates and VFAs indicated biochar promoted hydrolysis and acidogenesis process. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) curves and coulombic efficiency (CE) suggested organic matters degradation and electron generation on anode were enhanced with supplement of biochar. Microbial community analyses revealed that biochar addition could both promote DIET through substituting exoelectrogen (e.g., Thermincola) on anode and enrich hydrogenotrophic methanogens (e.g., Methanothermobacter) on cathode, which is beneficial to development of MEC as to methane recovery from organic matters.

Low-temperature anaerobic digestion enhanced by bioelectrochemical systems equipped with graphene/PPy- and MnO2 nanoparticles/PPy-modified electrodes

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) with graphene (Gr)/polypyrrole (PPy)- and MnO₂ nanoparticles (NPs)/PPy-modified electrodes were developed to enhance low-temperature anaerobic digestion (LTAD) of low-strength wastewater. At 20 °C, the chemical oxygen demand removal efficiencies and CH₄ yield of the BESs with Gr/PPy (R2) and MnO₂ NPs/PPy (R3)-modified electrodes were 12.7% and 25.6%, and 43.9% and 66.3%, respectively, higher than those of the control (R1, without modification). Although the performance of all reactors decreased as temperature dropping to 12 °C, the CH₄ yield rates of R2 and R3 were still 22.8% and 39.0% higher than that of R1. Further analysis indicated that the modified electrodes might stimulate the metabolic activity of the anaerobic digester sludge. Scanning electron microscopy observation showed that the modified electrodes had higher specific surface area, favoring the attachment and formation of dense biofilms on the surface of electrodes. 16S rRNA gene-sequencing results demonstrated that H₂-consuming methanogens dominated in the BESs and the influence of Gr/PPy and MnO₂ NPs/PPy differed on the microbial community structure of biofilms. These findings justify the wider use of Gr and MnO₂ NPs in electrode modification to assist LTAD using BESs.

A new insight into the strategy for methane production affected by conductive carbon cloth in wetland soil: Beneficial to acetoclastic methanogenesis instead of CO2 reduction

Conductive materials/minerals can promote direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) between syntrophic bacteria and methanogens in defined co-culture systems and artificial anaerobic digesters; however, little is known about the stimulation strategy of carbon material on methane production in natural environments. Herein, the effect of carbon cloth, as a representative of conductive carbon materials, on methane production with incubated wetland soil was investigated. Carbon cloth significantly promoted methanogenesis. With the application of electrochemical technology, calculation of the apparent electron transfer rate constant showed that carbon cloth significantly increased electron transfer rate (ETR) compared with the control experiment in presence of cotton cloth, from 0.0017 ± 0.0003 to 0.0056 ± 0.0015 s^-1. Results obtained from both stable carbon isotope measurements and application of specific inhibitor (CH₃F) for acetoclastic methanogenesis indicated that carbon cloth obviously promoted acetoclastic methanogenesis instead of CO₂ reduction. High-throughput sequencing showed that methane production may stem from the involvement of Methanosarcina for both treatments. Our findings suggested that conductive carbon material can promote acetoclastic methanogenesis instead of CO₂ reduction in a natural environment.