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Ostermeyer P, Folens K, Verbruggen F, Bonin L, Hennebel T, Korneel R. A sulfate reducing bioreactor controlled by an electrochemical system enables near-zero chemical treatment of metallurgical wastewater. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 242:120215. [PMID: 37327546 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Metallurgical wastewaters are characterized by a low pH (<4), high concentrations of sulfate (15 gSO42- L-1), and metal(loid)s. Current treatment requires the consumption of chemicals such as alkali and high levels of waste sludge generation. In this study, we have shown that combining water electrolysis and sulfate reducing bioreactors enables the in-situ generation of base and H2, eliminating the need for base and electron donor addition, resulting in the near-zero treatment of metallurgical wastewater. By extracting cations from the effluent of the system to the bioreactor, the bioreactor pH could be maintained by the in-situ production of alkali. The current for pH control varied between 112-753 mol electrons per m³ wastewater or 5-48 A m-2 electrode area. High concentrations of sulfate in the influent and addition of CO2 increased the current required to maintain a steady bioreactor pH. On the other hand, a high sulfate reduction rate and increased influent pH lowered the current required for pH control. Moreover, the current efficiency varied from 14% to 91% and increased with higher pH and cation (Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+) concentrations in the middle compartment of the electrochemical cell. The salinity was lowered from 70-120 mS cm-1 in the influent to 5-20 mS cm-1 in the system effluent. The energy consumption of the electrochemical pH control varied between 10 and 100 kWh m-3 and was affected by the conductivity of the wastewater. Industrial wastewater was treated successfully with an average energy consumption of 39 ± 7 kWh m-3, removing sulfate from 15 g SO42- L-1 to 0.5 ± 0.5 g SO42- L-1 at a reduction rate of 20 ± 1 gSO42- L-1 d-1..Metal(loid)s such as As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Te, Tl, Ni and Zn were removed to levels of 1-50 µg L-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter Ostermeyer
- Center of Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent B-9000, Belgium; CAPTURE, Frieda Saeysstraat 1www.capture-resources.be, Gent 9000, Belgium
| | - Karel Folens
- Center of Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent B-9000, Belgium
| | - Florian Verbruggen
- Center of Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent B-9000, Belgium; CAPTURE, Frieda Saeysstraat 1www.capture-resources.be, Gent 9000, Belgium
| | - Luiza Bonin
- Center of Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent B-9000, Belgium; CAPTURE, Frieda Saeysstraat 1www.capture-resources.be, Gent 9000, Belgium,.
| | - Tom Hennebel
- Center of Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent B-9000, Belgium; Group Research & Development, Competence Area Recycling and Extraction Technologies, Umicore, Watertorenstraat 33, Olen B-2250, Belgium
| | - Rabaey Korneel
- Center of Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent B-9000, Belgium; CAPTURE, Frieda Saeysstraat 1www.capture-resources.be, Gent 9000, Belgium
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Atkinson JT, Chavez MS, Niman CM, El-Naggar MY. Living electronics: A catalogue of engineered living electronic components. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:507-533. [PMID: 36519191 PMCID: PMC9948233 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Biology leverages a range of electrical phenomena to extract and store energy, control molecular reactions and enable multicellular communication. Microbes, in particular, have evolved genetically encoded machinery enabling them to utilize the abundant redox-active molecules and minerals available on Earth, which in turn drive global-scale biogeochemical cycles. Recently, the microbial machinery enabling these redox reactions have been leveraged for interfacing cells and biomolecules with electrical circuits for biotechnological applications. Synthetic biology is allowing for the use of these machinery as components of engineered living materials with tuneable electrical properties. Herein, we review the state of such living electronic components including wires, capacitors, transistors, diodes, optoelectronic components, spin filters, sensors, logic processors, bioactuators, information storage media and methods for assembling these components into living electronic circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T Atkinson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Marko S Chavez
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Christina M Niman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Mohamed Y El-Naggar
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Ostermeyer P, Van Landuyt J, Bonin L, Folens K, Williamson A, Hennebel T, Rabaey K. High rate production of concentrated sulfides from metal bearing wastewater in an expanded bed hydrogenotrophic sulfate reducing bioreactor. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 11:100173. [PMID: 36158753 PMCID: PMC9488047 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2022.100173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Metallurgical wastewaters contain high concentrations of sulfate, up to 15 g L-1. Sulfate-reducing bioreactors are employed to treat these wastewaters, reducing sulfates to sulfides which subsequently co-precipitate metals. Sulfate loading and reduction rates are typically restricted by the total H2S concentration. Sulfide stripping, sulfide precipitation and dilution are the main strategies employed to minimize inhibition by H2S, but can be adversely compromised by suboptimal sulfate reduction, clogging and additional energy costs. Here, metallurgical wastewater was treated for over 250 days using two hydrogenotrophic granular activated carbon expanded bed bioreactors without additional removal of sulfides. H2S toxicity was minimized by operating at pH 8 ± 0.15, resulting in an average sulfate removal of 7.08 ± 0.08 g L-1, sulfide concentrations of 2.1 ± 0.2 g L-1 and peaks up to 2.3 ± 0.2 g L-1. A sulfate reduction rate of 20.6 ± 0.9 g L-1 d-1 was achieved, with maxima up to 27.2 g L-1 d-1, which is among the highest reported considering a literature review of 39 studies. The rates reported here are 6-8 times higher than those reported for other reactors without active sulfide removal and the only reported for expanded bed sulfate-reducing bioreactors using H2. By increasing the influent sulfate concentration and maintaining high sulfide concentrations, sulfate reducers were promoted while fermenters and methanogens were suppressed. Industrial wastewater containing 4.4 g L-1 sulfate, 0.036 g L-1 nitrate and various metals (As, Fe, Tl, Zn, Ni, Sb, Co and Cd) was successfully treated with all metal(loid)s, nitrates and sulfates removed below discharge limits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter Ostermeyer
- Center of Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Gent, Belgium
- CAPTURE, Frieda Saeysstraat 1, 9000, Gent, Belgium1
www.capture-resources.be
| | - Josefien Van Landuyt
- Center of Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Gent, Belgium
| | - Luiza Bonin
- Center of Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Gent, Belgium
- CAPTURE, Frieda Saeysstraat 1, 9000, Gent, Belgium1
www.capture-resources.be
| | - Karel Folens
- Center of Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Gent, Belgium
| | - Adam Williamson
- Center of Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Gent, Belgium
- CENBG, Université de Bordeaux, CNRS-IN2P3/, 19 chemin du Solarium, CS10120, 33175, Gradignan, France
| | - Tom Hennebel
- Center of Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Gent, Belgium
- CAPTURE, Frieda Saeysstraat 1, 9000, Gent, Belgium1
www.capture-resources.be - Umicore, Group Research & Development, Competence Area Recycling and Extraction Technologies, Watertorenstraat 33, B-2250, Olen, Belgium
| | - Korneel Rabaey
- Center of Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Gent, Belgium
- CAPTURE, Frieda Saeysstraat 1, 9000, Gent, Belgium1
www.capture-resources.be
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