The biostimulation of anaerobic digestion with (semi)conductive ferric oxides: their potential for enhanced biomethanation

Removal of dissolved methane from digested effluent by anaerobic methane oxidation linked to ferric oxides and sulfate reduction

Bioreactors supplied with sulfate and Fe(III) oxides (hematite and goethite), as electron acceptors, were tested for their capacity to remove dissolved methane from a digestate from a methanogenic reactor treating synthetic wastewater. Negligible removal of dissolved methane occurred when no electron acceptor was provided. However, when hematite and goethite were supplied, methane removal rates of 6.7 and 3.7 g CH4/m3-day, respectively, were achieved coupled to the reduction of both minerals. Simultaneous supply of sulfate and hematite supported the highest removal rate observed (9.1 g CH4/m3-day) coupled to the reduction of both electron acceptors. Taxonomic characterization based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed Methanobacterium and Methanolinea as the microorganisms potentially involved in the removal of dissolved methane. This treatment concept could contribute to prevent the emission of dissolved methane from digested effluents, which ultimately may attenuate global warming associated with greenhouse gases emissions from wastewater treatment plants.

Anaerobic sludge digestion enhancement with bioelectrochemical and electrically conductive materials augmentation: A state of the art review

Excess biological sludge processing and disposal have a significant impact on the energy balance and economics of wastewater treatment operations, and on receiving environments. Anaerobic digestion is probably the most widespread in-plant sludge processing method globally, since it stabilizes and converts biosolids organic matter into biogas, allowing partial recovery of their embedded chemical energy. A considerable number of studies concerning applicable techniques to improve biogas production, both in quantity and quality, include pre-treatment strategies to promote biosolids disintegration aimed at the release and solubilization of intracellular energy compounds, inorganic/biological amendments aimed at improving process performance, and sludge thermal pre-treatment. As for in-process amendments, iron, micro and macro-nutrients, ashes from waste incineration and nanoparticles addition have been studied for the improvement of enzymatic reactions. Recently, use of electrically conductive materials has been credited with the possibility to accelerate and stabilize the conversion of organic substrates to methane. The possibility of increasing both biogas generation and its relative biomethane content by interfacing anaerobic digestion with bioelectrochemical systems was also postulated. This review addresses the research gap surrounding the integration of anaerobic digestion with novel technologies, particularly bioelectrochemical systems, to enhance biogas production and methane enrichment. While existing studies focus on pre-treatment and in-process amendments, the feasibility, mechanisms, and benefits of such integration remain underexplored. By critically evaluating the current state of the art, this review identifies the potential of bioelectrochemical integration to improve energy recovery and process stability, while highlighting key challenges and research needs for advancing these technologies toward practical implementation.

Enhancing assimilatory sulfate reduction with ferrihydrite-humic acid coprecipitate in anaerobic sulfate-containing wastewater treatment

Sulfide produced from dissimilatory sulfate reduction can combine with hydrogen to form hydrogen sulfide, causing odor issues and environmental pollution. To address this problem, ferrihydrite-humic acid coprecipitate was added to improve assimilatory sulfate reduction (ASR), resulting in a decrease in sulfide production (190.2 ± 14.6 mg/L in the Fh-HA group vs. 246.3 ± 8.1 mg/L in the Fh group) with high sulfate removal. Humic acid, adsorbed on the surface of ferrihydrite, delayed secondary mineralization of ferrihydrite under sulfate reduction condition. Therefore, more iron-reducing species (e.g. Trichococcus, Geobacter) were enriched with ferrihydrite-humic acid coprecipitate to transfer more electrons to other species, which led to more COD reduction, an increase in electron transfer capacity, and a decrease in the NADH/NAD+ ratio. Metagenomic analysis also indicated that functional genes related to ASR was enhanced with ferrihydrite-humic acid coprecipitate. Thus, the addition of ferrihydrite-humic acid coprecipitate can be considered as a promising candidate for anaerobic sulfate wastewater treatment.

Neglected role of iron redox cycle in direct interspecies electron transfer in anaerobic methanogenesis: Inspired from biogeochemical processes

Anaerobic digestion is an indispensable technical option towards green and low-carbon wastewater treatment, with interspecies electron transfer (IET) playing a key role in its efficiency and operational stability. The exogenous semiconductive iron oxides have been proven to effectively enhance IET, while the cognition of the physicochemical-biochemical coupling stimulatory mechanism was circumscribed and remains to be elucidated. In this study, semiconductive iron oxides, α-Fe2O3, γ-Fe2O3, α-FeOOH, and γ-FeOOH were found to significantly enhance syntrophic methanogenesis by 76.39, 72.40, 37.33, and 32.64% through redirecting the dominant IET pathway from classical interspecies hydrogen transfer to robust direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET). Their alternative roles as electron shuttles potentially substituting for c-type cytochromes were conjectured to establish an electron transport matrix associated with conductive pili. Distinguished from the conventional electron conductor mechanism of conductive Fe3O4, semiconductive iron oxides facilitated DIET intrinsically through the capacitive Fe(III/II) redox cycles coupled with secondary mineralization. The growth of Aminobacterium, Sedimentibacter, and Methanothrix was enriched and the gene copy numbers of Geobacteraceae 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid were selectively flourished by 2.0-∼4.5- fold to establish a favorable microflora for DIET pathway. Metabolic pathways of syntrophic acetogenesis from propionate/butyrate and CO2 reduction methanogenesis were correspondingly promoted. The above findings provide new insights into the underlying mechanism of iron minerals enhancing the DIET-oriented pathway and offer paradigms for redox-mediated energy harvesting biological wastewater treatment.

Functional biochar in enhanced anaerobic digestion: Synthesis, performances, and mechanisms

Anaerobic digestion technology is crucial in bioenergy recovery and organic waste management. At the same time, it often encounters challenges such as low organic digestibility and inhibition of toxic substances, resulting in low biomethane yields. Biochar has recently been used in anaerobic digestion to alleviate toxicity inhibition, improve the stability of anaerobic digestion processes, and increase methane yields. However, the practical application of biochar is limited, for the properties of pristine biochar significantly affect its application in anaerobic digestion. Although much research focuses on understanding original biochar's fundamental properties and functionalization, there are few reviews on the applications of functional biochar and the effects of critical properties of pristine biochar on anaerobic digestion. This review systematically reviewed functionalization strategies, key performances, and applications of functional biochar in anaerobic digestion. The properties determining the role of biochar were reviewed, the synthesis methods of functional biochar were summarized and compared, the mechanism of functional biochar was discussed, and the factors affecting the function of functional biochar were reviewed. This review provided a comprehensive understanding of functional biochar in anaerobic digestion processes, which would be helpful for the development and applications of engineered biochar.

Coupled Processes Involving Organic Matter and Fe Oxyhydroxides Control Geogenic Phosphorus Enrichment in Groundwater Systems: New Evidence from FT-ICR-MS and XANES

The enrichment of geogenic phosphorus (P) in groundwater systems threatens environmental and public health worldwide. Two significant factors affecting geogenic P enrichment include organic matter (OM) and Fe (oxyhydr)oxide (FeOOH). However, due to variable reactivities of OM and FeOOH, variable strategies of their coupled influence controlling P enrichment in groundwater systems remain elusive. This research reveals that when the depositional environment is enriched in more labile aliphatic OM, its fermentation is coupled with the reductive dissolution of both amorphous and crystalline FeOOHs. When the depositional environment is enriched in more recalcitrant aromatic OM, it largely relies on crystalline FeOOH acting concurrently as electron acceptors while serving as "conduits" to help itself stimulate degradation and methanogenesis. The main source of geogenic P enriched by these two different coupled processes is different: the former is P-containing OM, which mainly contained unsaturated aliphatic compounds and highly unsaturated-low O compounds, and the latter is P associated with crystalline FeOOH. In addition, geological setting affects the deposition rate of sediments, which can alter OM degradation/preservation, and subsequently affects geochemical conditions of geogenic P occurrence. These findings provide new evidence and perspectives for understanding the hydro(bio)geochemical processes controlling geogenic P enrichment in alluvial-lacustrine aquifer systems.

Synergistic improvement of nitrogen and phosphorus removal in constructed wetlands by the addition of solid iron substrates and ferrous irons

Sanjiang Plain is intensively used for rice production, and ditch drainage diffuse pollution prevention is crucial. Groundwater, rich in Fe ions, is the main source of irrigation water in this region. In this study, pyrite and zero-valent iron (ZVI) (sponge iron and iron scraps) were used as substrates to identify the synergistic influence of exogenous Fe2+ addition and solid iron substrates on pollutant removal in constructed wetlands. Based on the results, iron substrates hardly improved the ammonia removal, mainly because of the physical structure and oxidation activity. At a hydraulic retention time longer than 8 h, the pollution removal efficiency in the zero-valent iron (ZVI) substrate treatment increased significantly, and the removal of nitrate (NO3 --N) and total phosphorus (TP) in the iron scrap substrate treatment reached about 60% and 70%, respectively. The high-throughput sequencing results showed a significant increase in the abundance of microorganisms involved in denitrification and phosphate accumulation in biofilms on ZVI substrates. The highest diversities of such microorganisms in biofilms on iron scraps were found for denitrifying bacteria (Pseudomonas), nitrate-reducing Fe (II)-oxidizing bacteria (Acidovorax), and Dechloromonas with autotrophic denitrification and phosphate accumulation, with a 43% cumulative abundance. Dechloromonas dominated in the iron sponge substrate treatment. The highest relative abundance of Acidovorax was found in the mixed iron substrate (pyrite, sponge iron, and iron scraps) treatment. The addition of ZVI substrate significantly improved the removal of NO3 --N and TP and reduced the hydraulic retention time through the continuous release of Fe2+ and the promotion of microbial growth. When designing constructed wetlands for treating paddy field drainage, the appropriate addition of iron scrap substrates is recommended to enhance the pollutant removal efficiency and shock load resistance of CWs.

Sustainable disposal of Fenton sludge and enhanced organics degradation based on dissimilatory iron reduction in the hydrolytic acidification process

Fenton sludge generated in the flocculation stage of the Fenton oxidation process contains significant amounts of ferric iron and organic pollutants, which require proper treatment. Previous studies have demonstrated that adding Fenton sludge to an anaerobic digester can decompose some of the organic pollutants in the Fenton sludge to lower its environmental risk, but iron gradually accumulates in the reactor, which weakens the sustainability of the method. In this study, Fenton sludge was introduced into a hydrolytic acidification reactor with a weak acid environment to relieve the iron accumulation as well as improve the degradation of organic matter. The results showed that the added Fenton sludge acted as an extracellular electron acceptor to induce dissimilatory iron reduction, which increased chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal and acidification efficiency by 16.1% and 19.8%, respectively, compared to the group without Fenton sludge. Along with the operation, more than 90% of the Fe(III) in Fenton sludge was reduced to Fe(II), and part of them was released to the effluent. Moreover, the Fe(II) in the effluent could be used as flocculants and Fenton reagents to further decrease the effluent COD by 29.8% and 44.5%, respectively. It provided a sustainable strategy to reuse Fenton sludge to enhance organic degradation based on the iron cycle.

Unravelling the resilience of magnetite assisted granules to starvation and oxytetracycline stress

Starvation and antibiotics pollution are two frequent perturbations during breeding wastewater treatment process. Supplying magnetite into anaerobic system has been proved efficient to accelerate microbial aggregates and alleviate the adverse effect caused by process disturbance. Nevertheless, whether these magnetite-based granules are still superior over normal granules after a long-term starvation period remains unknown, the responsiveness of these granules to antibiotics stress is also ambiguous. In current study, we investigated the resilience of magnetite-based anaerobic granular sludge (AnGS) to starvation and oxytetracycline (OTC) stress, by unravelling the variations of reactor performance, sludge properties, ARGs dissemination and microbial community. Compared with the AnGS formed without magnetite, the magnetite assisted AnGS appeared more robust defense to starvation and OTC stress. With magnetite supplement, the average methane yield after starvation recovery, 50 mg/L and 200 mg/L OTC stress was enhanced by 48.95%, 115.87% and 488.41%, respectively, accompanied with less VFAs accumulation, improved tetracycline removal rate (76.3-86.6% vs. 51.0-53.5%) and higher ARGs reduction. Meanwhile, magnetite supplement effectively ameliorated the potential sludge breakage by triggering more large granules formation. Trichococcus was considered an important impetus in maintaining the stability of magnetite-based AnGS process. By inducing more syntrophic methanogenesis partnerships, especially for hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, magnetite ensured the improved reactor performance and stronger resilience at stress conditions.

Microbial volatile organic compounds as novel indicators of anaerobic digestion instability: Potential and challenges

The wide application of anaerobic digestion (AD) technology is limited by process fluctuations. Thus, process monitoring based on screening state parameters as early warning indicators (EWI) is a top priority for AD facilities. However, predicting anaerobic digester stability based on such indicators is difficult, and their threshold values are uncertain, case-specific, and sometimes produce conflicting results. Thus, new EWI should be proposed to integrate microbial and metabolic information. These microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) including alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatic compounds are produced by microorganisms (bacteria, archaea and fungi), which might serve as a promising diagnostic tool for environmental monitoring. Moreover, mVOCs diffuse in both gas and liquid phases and are considered the language of intra kingdom microbial interactions. Herein, we highlight the potential of mVOCs as EWI for AD process instability, including discussions regarding characteristics and sources of mVOCs as well as sampling and determination methods. Furthermore, existing challenges must be addressed, before mVOCs profiling can be used as an early warning system for diagnosing AD process instability, such as mVOCs sampling, analysis and identification. Finally, we discuss the potential biotechnology applications of mVOCs and approaches to overcome the challenges regarding their application.

Enhanced Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment by a Binary Electroactive Material: Pseudocapacitance/Conductance-Mediated Microbial Interspecies Electron Transfer

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a promising method to treat organic matter. However, AD performance was limited by the inefficient electron transfer and metabolism imbalance between acid-producing bacteria and methanogens. In this study, a novel binary electroactive material (Fe3O4@biochar) with pseudocapacitance (1.4 F/g) and conductance (10.2 μS/cm) was exploited to store-release electrons as well as enhance the direct electron transfer between acid-producing bacteria and methanogens during the AD process. The mechanism of pseudocapacitance/conductance on mediating interspecies electron transfer was deeply studied at each stage of AD. In the hydrolysis acidification stage, the pseudocapacitance of Fe3O4@biochar acting as electron acceptors proceeded NADH/NAD+ transformation of bacteria to promote ATP synthesis by 21% which supported energy for organics decomposition. In the methanogenesis stage, the conductance of Fe3O4@biochar helped the microbes establish direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) to increase the coenzyme F420 content by 66% and then improve methane production by 13%. In the complete AD experiment, electrons generated from acid-producing bacteria were rapidly transported to methanogens via conductors. Excess electrons were buffered by the pseudocapacitor and then gradually released to methanogens which alleviated the drastic drop in pH. These findings provided a strategy to enhance the electron transfer in anaerobic treatment as well as guided the design of electroactive materials.

In-situ membrane fouling control and performance improvement by adding materials in anaerobic membrane bioreactor: A review

Anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) is a promising treatment technique for various types of wastewaters, and is preferred over other conventional aerobic and anaerobic methods. However, membrane fouling is considered a bottleneck in AnMBR system, which technically blocks membrane pores by numerous inorganics, organics, and other microbial substances. Various materials can be added in AnMBR to control membrane fouling and improve anaerobic digestion, and studies reporting the materials addition for this purpose are hereby systematically reviewed. The mechanism of membrane fouling control including compositional changes in extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) and soluble microbial products (SMPs), materials properties, stimulation of antifouling microbes and alteration in substrate properties by material addition are thoroughly discussed. Nonetheless, this study opens up new research prospects to control membrane fouling of AnMBR, engineered by material, including compositional changes of microbial products (EPS and SMP), replacement of quorum quenching (QQ) by materials, and overall improvement of reactor performance. Regardless of the great research progress achieved previously in membrane fouling control, there is still a long way to go for material-mediated AnMBR applications to be undertaken, particularly for materials coupling, real scale application and molecular based studies on EPSs and SMPs, which were proposed for future researches.

Effects of Magnetic Biochar Addition on Mesophilic Anaerobic Digestion of Sewage Sludge

As a low-cost additive to anaerobic digestion (AD), magnetic biochar (MBC) can act as an electron conductor to promote electron transfer to enhance biogas production performance in the AD process of sewage sludge and has thus attracted much attention in research and industrial applications. In the present work, Camellia oleifera shell (COS) was used to produce MBC as an additive for mesophilic AD of sewage sludge, in order to explore the effect of MBC on the mesophilic AD process and its enhancement mechanism. Analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) further confirmed that biochar was successfully magnetized. The yield of biogas from sewage sludge was enhanced by 14.68-39.24% with the addition of MBC, and the removal efficiency of total solid (TS), volatile solids (VS), and soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) were 28.99-46.13%, 32.22-48.62%, and 84.18-86.71%, respectively. According to the Modified Gompertz Model and Cone Model, the optimum dosage of MBC was 20 mg/g TS. The maximum methane production rate (R_m) was 15.58% higher than that of the control reactor, while the lag-phase (λ) was 43.78% shorter than the control group. The concentration of soluble Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ were also detected in this study to analyze the function of MBC for improving biogas production performance from sewage sludge. The biogas production was increased when soluble Fe³⁺ was reduced to soluble Fe²⁺. Overall, the MBC was beneficial to the resource utilization of COS and showed a good prospect for improving mesophilic AD performance.

Deciphering physicochemical properties and enhanced microbial electron transfer capacity by magnetic biochar

Magnetic biochar is important for improving the electron transfer capacity (ETC) of microorganisms in wastewater treatment. In this study, three magnetic biochar under different pyrolysis temperatures (300, 500 and 700 °C) were prepared by co-precipitation, and their characteristics and impacts on mediating microbial ETC were investigated. Results indicated that magnetic biochar had a higher capacitance and conductivity than pyrolytic biochar, with the largest specific capacitance of 14.7F/g for FCS700 (magnetic biochar prepared at 700 °C). The addition of magnetic biochar could improve the nitrogen removal efficiency of a sludge-biochar system. The electron transfer resistance (R_ct) of magnetic biochar was lower than pyrolytic biochar by 25.5 % (300 °C), 19.7 % (500 °C), and 11.6 % (700 °C), respectively. The structure of the microbial community in the sludge-biochar system differed significantly. Spearman correlation suggested that the electrochemical properties of biochar were an important factor affecting the structure of the microbial community.

Continuously feeding fenton sludge into anaerobic digesters: Iron species change and operating stability

Fenton sludge generated from the Fenton process contains a large number of ferric species and organic pollutants, which need to be properly treated before discharge. In this study, Fenton sludge as an Fe(III) source for dissimilatory iron reduction (DIR) was continuously added with increasing dosage into an anaerobic digester to enhance the treatment. Results showed continuously feeding Fenton sludge to the anaerobic digester did not deteriorate the performance and increased methane production and COD removal rate by 2.2 folds and 14.0%, respectively. The Fe content of sludge in the digester increased from 40.25 mg/g (dry weight) to 131.53 mg/g after continuously feeding for 77days, and then declined to 109.17 mg/g when the feeding was stopped. Mass balance analysis showed that 20.5 to 48.4% of Fe in the Fenton sludge was released to the effluent. After experiment, the ratio of reducible Fe species to the total Fe was 75.1%, which maintained the high activity in DIR. Microbial community analysis showed that iron-reducing bacteria were enriched with the addition of Fenton sludge and the sludge in the digester had a higher conductivity and capacitance to strengthen the electron transfer of DIR. All results suggested that feeding Fenton sludge into anaerobic digesters was a feasible method to dispose of Fenton sludge as well as to enhance the performance of anaerobic digestion.

Thiosulfate-assisted Fe2+/persulfate pretreatment effectively alleviating iron dose and enhancing biotransformation of waste activated sludge into high-value liquid products

Ferrous-based acidogenic fermentation (AF) as a means to treat waste activated sludge (WAS) and produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) has drawn increasing attention, but the massive amount of "iron sludge" that it produces not only significantly increases costs and difficulty of disposal but also poses risks to the environment and human health. This study explored a novel approach to not only reduce the iron dosage required by AF but also to improve its performance by introducing a thiosulfate (TS)-assisted Fe²⁺/persulfate (TAFP) pretreatment. Effects of the TAFP pretreatment on WAS disintegration and biodegradability, SCFA production, and microbial community structure with different persulfate-Fe²⁺-thiosulfate molar ratios at 4:4:0 (R1), 4:3:1 (R2), 4:2:2 (R3) and 4:1:3 (R4) were investigated. The results showed that the TAFP pretreatment by a remarkable margin promoted the disintegration of WAS as well as the biodegradability of the organics released, owing to the production of robust free radicals (SO₄•^- and •OH) triggered by the thiosulfate and Fe²⁺ cycles. 48-day AF tests further showed maximum SCFA production, ranging roughly between 1283 and 1395 mg COD/L in the TAFP pretreated samples, much higher than Control (<120 mg/L) and R1 (around 593 mg COD/L). At the meantime, the Fe²⁺ dosage was reduced by 50% in R3 than that of R1. However, a prolonged lag phase of SCFA generation was observed between days 7 and 25, which was ascribable to the acidic conditions (pH < 4.5) closely related to impaired metabolic activities as well as electron transfer efficiencies and limited activities of acidogenic enzymes (i.e., pyruvate-ferredoxin oxidoreductase). Despite such lag phase, the economic and environmental assessment of AF of TAFP-pretreated WAS had a higher net SCFA yield and less "iron sludge" than either without any pretreatment or with Fe²⁺/persulfate-only pretreatment.

Integrating electrocoagulation process with up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket for in-situ biomethanation and performance improvement

In this study, the integration of the electrocoagulation (EC) process with anaerobic digestion as a novel in-situ biomethanation approach was considered for the first time. As a result of this integration (iron electrodes, current density of 1.5 mA/cm² and an exposure mode of 10-min-ON/ 30-min-OFF), the carbon dioxide content of biogas reached below 2%. Also, the methane production rate improved by 18.0 ± 0.4%, whereas the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand, turbidity, phosphate, and sulfate increased by 12.0 ± 1.5%, 30.7 ± 1.7%, > 99%, and 75.7%, respectively. Anaerobic granular sludge characteristics were also improved. Moreover, the EC process stimulated growth and quantity of functional microorganisms, especially Acinetobacter in bacterial and Methanobacterium in archaeal community. Methane concentration, however decreased due to possible excess hydrogen production. The application of the biogas as bio-hythane, and the optimization of the hybrid bioreactor to decrease hydrogen production, are possible avenues for further research.

Enhanced Phosphorus Recovery as Vivianite from Anaerobically Digested Sewage Sludge with Magnetic Biochar Addition

Sustainable phosphorus (P) recovery from sewage sludge is crucial to reconciling the simultaneous shortage and excess of P. In this study, magnetic biochar (MBC) was synthesized and innovatively applied to enhance P recovery as vivianite. The effects of anaerobic digestion (AD) time, hydrothermal (HT) pretreatment temperature and MBC dose on vivianite formation were investigated using batch experiments and a modified sequential P extraction protocol. The P fractionation results showed that the concentration of pure vivianite-bound P (Fe(II)-P) reached a maximum on the 10th day of AD treatment, and then declined sharply due to vivianite oxidation and P limitation. HT pretreatment operated at relatively high temperatures (135 and 185 °C) reduced vivianite formation; this negative effect of HT pretreatment was partially compensated by MBC supplementation. The proportion of Fe(II)-P in the solid phase of sludge was substantially raised up to 57.1% from 8.3~17.4% with an increasing dose of MBC from 0 to 12.5 g/L, indicating that MBC had a markedly enhanced effect on vivianite formation; this could be attributed to the MBC-improved Fe(II) production, as evidenced by the elevated proportion of Fe(II) in Fe2p XPS spectra and the increased ratio of Fe(II)-P to oxidized vivianite-bound P (Fe(III)-P) in the sludge after MBC supplementation. MBC addition also decreased the proportion of water-extractable P by sorption and promoted organic P decomposition, which further facilitated vivianite production. These findings reveal a new strategy for enhancing P recovery from HT-pretreated AD sludge.

Stimulating Effect of Trichococcus flocculiformis on a Coculture of Syntrophomonas wolfei and Methanospirillum hungatei

Syntrophic anaerobic consortia comprised of fatty acid-degrading bacteria and hydrogen/formate-scavenging methanogenic archaea are of central importance for balanced and resilient natural and manufactured ecosystems: anoxic sediments, soils, and wastewater treatment bioreactors. Previously published studies investigated interaction between the syntrophic bi-cultures, but little information is available on the influence of fermentative bacteria on syntrophic fatty acid oxidation, even though fermentative organisms are always present together with syntrophic partners in the above-mentioned ecosystems. Here, we present experimental observations of stimulated butyrate oxidation and methane generation by a coculture of Syntrophomonas wolfei with any of the following methanogens: Methanospirillum hungatei, Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus, or Methanobacterium formicicum due to the addition of a fermentative Trichococcus flocculiformis strain ES5. The addition of T. flocculiformis ES5 to the syntrophic cocultures led to an increase in the rates of butyrate consumption (120%) and volumetric methane production (150%). Scanning electron microscopy of the most positively affected coculture (S. wolfei, M. hungatei, and T. flocculiformis ES5) revealed a tendency of T. flocculiformis ES5 to aggregate with the syntrophic partners. Analysis of coculture’s proteome with or without addition of the fermentative bacterium points to a potential link with signal transducing systems of M. hungatei, as well as activation of additional butyryl coenzyme A dehydrogenase and an electron transfer flavoprotein in S. wolfei.

IMPORTANCE Results from the present study open doors to fascinating research on complex microbial cultures in anaerobic environments (of biotechnological and ecological relevance). Such studies of defined mixed populations are critical to understanding the highly intertwined natural and engineered microbial systems and to developing more reliable and trustable metabolic models. By investigating the existing cultured microbial consortia, like the ones described here, we can acquire knowledge on microbial interactions that go beyond “who feeds whom” relations but yet benefit the parties involved. Transfer of signaling compounds and stimulation of gene expression are examples of indirect influence that members of mixed communities can exert on each other. Understanding such microbial relationships will enable development of new sustainable biotechnologies with mixed microbial cocultures and contribute to the general understanding of the complex natural microbial interactions.

Sustainable additives for the regulation of NH3 concentration and emissions during the production of biomethane and biohydrogen: A review

This study reviews the recent advances and innovations in the application of additives to improve biomethane and biohydrogen production. Biochar, nanostructured materials, novel biopolymers, zeolites, and clays are described in terms of chemical composition, properties and impact on anaerobic digestion, dark fermentation, and photofermentation. These additives can have both a simple physical effect of microbial adhesion and growth, and a more complex biochemical impact on the regulation of key parameters for CH₄ and H₂ production: in this study, these effects in different experimental conditions are reviewed and described. The considered parameters include pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA), C:N ratio, and NH₃; additionally, the global impact on the total production yield of biogas and bioH₂ is reviewed. A special focus is given to NH₃, due to its strong inhibition effect towards methanogens, and its contribution to digestate quality, leaching, and emissions into the atmosphere.

Formation and characterization of conductive magnetite-embedded granules in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor treating dairy wastewater

Promoting direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) with conductive additives has proved effective in improving anaerobic digestion performance and stability. However, its application is limited by the need to replenish the washout loss of conductive materials. This study reports the formation of conductive magnetite-embedded granular sludge and its long-term influence on the performance of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors treating dairy wastewater. The magnetite-supplemented reactor maintained better performance than the no-magnetite control, with greater sludge settling and electron transport activity, throughout the 192-d experiment at increasing organic loading rates (1.2-8.5 g chemical oxygen demand/L·d). The abundance of electroactive microbes also remained higher in the magnetite-supplemented reactor. The results suggest that DIET-based electric syntrophy was promoted in the magnetite-embedded granules. This study is the first to demonstrate the self-embedment of submicron conductive material into granular sludge and its benefits. These findings offer a new approach to enhancing anaerobic granular sludge systems.

Dairy wastewater management in EU: Produced amounts, existing legislation, applied treatment processes and future challenges

Dairy industry consumes high water amounts and generates highly contaminated wastewater. EU-27 is the second largest milk producer and the main cheese exporter in the world. The main objectives of the current study was to estimate the amounts of dairy wastewater (DWW) that are produced annually in different EU countries and to present the relevant existing EU legislation. The main treatment practices currently applied as well as the future opportunities for sustainable DWW management were also discussed. According to the results a total amount of 192.5 × 10⁶ m³ of DWW are annually produced in EU-27 countries, 49% of them are due to the production of cheeses, while 19%, 18% and 13% are due to the production of drinking milk, acidified milk and butterfat products, respectively. Six countries (Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain and Netherlands) contribute to the generation of more than 73% of DWW, while the annual per capita DWW production ranges between 36 L (Luxembourg) and 1441 L (Ireland). Since 2019, EU has established best available techniques (BAT) for the dairy industry in order to achieve efficient monitoring of the produced wastewater, reduced water consumption and increased resource efficiency. The main on-site treatment processes that are currently applied include in series wastewater pretreatment for the removal of fat and pH adjustment, anaerobic or/and aerobic biological processes for the decrease of organic loading and nutrients and use of membranes for the cases that recovered water is going to be reused. Limited information is so far available for the operational treatment cost of the different processes. Data originated from a large dairy industry in Cyprus showed an operational cost equal to 1.21 €/m³ of treated wastewater. The main future challenge for the dairy industry and water treatment sector is the adoption of novel processes aiming to DWW valorization under the frame of circular economy.

Combined effect of zero valent iron and magnetite on semi-dry anaerobic digestion of swine manure

Combined effect of zero valent iron (ZVI) and magnetite on semi-dry anaerobic digestion of swine manure was studied. Compared with control, the addition of 5 g/L ZVI, magnetite and their mixture (1:1 wt) increased the CH₄ yield by 17.6%, 22.7% and 21.9%, respectively. The three additives improved CH₄ production through altering the metabolism pathways, rather than improving the solid degradation efficiency. ZVI promoted interspecies hydrogen transfer (IHT) by enriching H₂-comsuming Methanolinea and acetate-oxidizing bacteria (Sedimentibacter and Clostridium). Magnetite enriched dissimilatory iron reduction bacteria (Acinetobacter) to accelerate organic hydrolysis and established direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) by enriching Methanothrix and Methanospirillum. Key microorganisms relative to IHT (Clostridium) and DIET (Methanothrix and Methanospirillum) were simultaneously enriched with ZVI + magnetite, but they only showed an additive effect on methanogenesis, the lack of synergetic effect was attributable to the possible trade-off between IHT and DIET, or the little improvement effect of additives on substrate biodegradability.

Promotion of methane production by magnetite via increasing acetogenesis revealed by metagenome-assembled genomes

Metal oxides are wildly studied to enhance anaerobic digestion and the methanogenic process, which is generally interpreted by increased direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET). Yet microbial mechanisms involved are under debate. Herein, methane production dynamics were analyzed, and acceleration on biogas accumulation was presented. Complementing previous findings, Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles stimulated bacterial fermentation rather than methanogenesis or syntropy between electro-microorganism and methanogen. More importantly, metagenome-assembled genomes proved that Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles increased acetogenesis by Parabacteroides chartae, which provided abundant substrates for acetoclastic methanogenesis. Interestingly, the weakly conductive V₃O₇·H₂O nanowires increased potential hydrogen-producing bacteria, Brevundimonas, and electro-microorganisms, Clostridium and Rhodoferax, which is convenient for conducting DIET. Collectively, conductivity may not be a critical factor in mediating DIET and distinct strategies of metal oxides on methane production propose more possibilities, such as fermentation process.

Effectiveness of Exogenous Fe2+ on Nutrient Removal in Gravel-Based Constructed Wetlands

A group of microcosm-scale unplanted constructed wetlands (CWs) were established to evaluate the effectiveness of exogenous Fe²⁺ addition on ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO₃^--N), and total phosphorus (TP) removal. The addition of Fe²⁺ concentrations were 5 mg/L (CW-Fe5), 10 mg/L (CW-Fe10), 20 mg/L (CW-Fe20), 30 mg/L (CW-Fe30), and 0 mg/L (CW-CK). The microbial community in CWs was also analyzed to reveal the enhancement mechanism of pollutant removal. The results showed that the addition of Fe²⁺ could significantly (p < 0.05) reduce the NO₃^--N concentration in the CWs. When 10 mg/L Fe²⁺ was added and the hydraulic retention time (HRT) was 8 h, the highest removal rate of NO₃^--N was 88.66%. For NH₄⁺-N, when the HRT was 8-24 h, the removal rate of CW-Fe5 was the highest (35.23% at 8 h and 59.24% at 24 h). When the HRT was 48-72 h, the removal rate of NH₄⁺-N in CWs with 10 mg/L Fe²⁺ addition was the highest (85.19% at 48 h and 88.66% and 72 h). The removal rate of TP in all CWs was higher than 57.06%, compared with CW-CK, it increased 0.63-31.62% in CWs with Fe²⁺ addition; the final effluent TP concentration in CW-Fe5 (0.13 mg/L) and CW-Fe10 (0.16 mg/L) met the class III water standards in Surface Water Environmental Quality Standards of China (GB3838-2002). Microbical diversity indexes, including Shannon and Chao1, were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in Fe²⁺ amended treatment than that in CW-CK treatment. Furthermore, phylum Firmicutes, family Carnobacteriaceae, and genus Trichococcus in Fe²⁺ amended treatments was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that in CW-CK treatment. Fe³⁺ reducing bacteria, such as Trichococcus genus, belonging to the Carnobacteriaceae in family-level, and Lactobacillales order affiliated to Firmicutes in the phylum-level, can reduce the oxidized Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ and continue to provide electrons for nitrate. It is recommended to consider adding an appropriate amount of iron into the water to strengthen its purifying capacity effect for constructed artificial wetlands in the future.

Core-shell structured polyaniline/polypyrrole composites promoted methane production from anaerobic sludge

The core-shell structured polypyrrole/polyaniline (PPy@PANI) were synthesized by in-situ polymerization method and were used as the conductive medium to enhance methane production from the anaerobic wastewater treatment. It was found that the PPy@PANI has a good performance on methane production from the anaerobic wastewater treatment, and it composites can improve the methane production rate and yield by 70.2% and 28.3% in the initial 4 h compared with the control group. A high methane production rate was achieved when the dosage of PPy@PANI was 0.6 g/L, which suggested that 0.6 g/L was the optimal dosage. Finally, the mechanisms involved in the improved methane production rate by the PPy@PANI were disclosed. The PPy@PANI can enrich the functional microorganisms to enhance both the degradation of organics and the electron transfer, which contributed to the improved methane production rate from the anaerobic wastewater treatment.

Mechanism study of improving anaerobic co-digestion performance of waste activated sludge and food waste by Fe3O4

A large amount of waste activated sludge (WAS) and food waste (FW) are produced every year in China. Anaerobic co-digestion is considered to be an effective way to solve this problem. This study applied FW/WAS mixture as co-substrate to create different digestive environment, aiming to understand the mechanism of Fe₃O₄ particles in promoting AD performance. The results showed that the addition of Fe₃O₄ presented various performances when facing different digestive acidification stress brought by different mixing ratios of WAS and FW. Methanogenic pathways and microbial communities varied with substrates' properties. For group A (WAS mono-digestion), the acetoclastic methanogens dominated, 20 mg/g VS (according to the iron element) Fe₃O₄ could promote methane production, while 200 mg/g VS Fe₃O₄ would inhibit microbial activity. The promoted methane production by Fe₃O₄ was attributable to the promotion of sludge hydrolysis. For group B (WAS: FW = 1:0.5, based on VS addition, similarly hereinafter), Fe₃O₄ triggered direct interspecific electron transfer (DIET) between bacteria and methanogens. For group C (WAS: FW = 1:1), the hydrogenotrophic methanogens dominated, bacteria excreted more non-conductive polysaccharides in EPS to resist unfavorable environment, thereby it prevented their contact with Fe₃O₄ particles. So, it was difficult for Fe₃O₄ to trigger DIET and promote the digestive performance of batch experiments in such condition.

Effect of Engineered Biomaterials and Magnetite on Wastewater Treatment: Biogas and Kinetic Evaluation

In this study, the principle of sustaining circular economy is presented as a way of recovering valuable resources from wastewater and utilizing its energy potential via anaerobic digestion (AD) of municipality wastewater. Biostimulation of the AD process was investigated to improve its treatability efficiency, biogas production, and kinetic stability. Addressing this together with agricultural waste such as eggshells (CE), banana peel (PB), and calcined banana peels (BI) were employed and compared to magnetite (Fe₃O₄) as biostimulation additives via 1 L biochemical methane potential tests. With a working volume of 0.8 L (charge with inoculum to substrate ratio of 3:5 v/v) and 1.5 g of the additives, each bioreactor was operated at a mesophilic temperature of 40 °C for 30 days while being compared to a control bioreactor. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) analysis was used to reveal the absorbent’s morphology at high magnification of 10 kx and surface pore size of 20.8 µm. The results showed over 70% biodegradation efficiency in removing the organic contaminants (chemical oxygen demand, color, and turbidity) as well as enhancing the biogas production. Among the setups, the bioreactor with Fe₃O₄ additives was found to be the most efficient, with an average daily biogas production of 40 mL/day and a cumulative yield of 1117 mL/day. The kinetic dynamics were evaluated with the cumulative biogas produced by each bioreactor via the first order modified Gompertz and Chen and Hashimoto kinetic models. The modified Gompertz model was found to be the most reliable, with good predictability.

Effect of magnetite on anaerobic digestion treating saline wastewater: Methane production, biomass aggregation and microbial community dynamics

In this study, the effect of magnetite amendment on anaerobic digestion was investigated at three increasing salinity levels (0.5%, 1% and 2% NaCl). The amendment of magnetite enhanced the methane yield by 36.3%, 33.3% and 16.5% at low salinity (0.5% NaCl) and high salinity (1% and 2% NaCl), respectively. Meanwhile, a larger proportion of granules was obtained in the magnetite amended reactor (48.05% vs 33.16% at the end of operation). Microbial analysis suggested magnetite could induce more methanogenesis partnerships between hydrogenotrophic methanogens and syntrophic bacteria. Methanosaeta and Methanocorpusculum were the alternating dominant methanogens at low salinity and high salinity. While Streptococcus and Mesotoga were two prevalent bacteria that showed totally different transition tendency in two reactors. Additionally, the supplement of magnetite could relieve the suppression of methanogenesis-related gene expression caused by salinity, thus facilitated the higher methane production.

Historical Perspective of the Addition of Magnetic Nanoparticles Into Anaerobic Digesters (2014-2021)

The addition of magnetic nanoparticles to batch anaerobic digestion was first reported in 2014. Afterwards, the number of works dealing with this subject has been increasing year by year. The discovery of the enhancement of anaerobic digestion by adding iron-based nanoparticles has created a multidisciplinary emerging research field. As a consequence, in the last years, great efforts have been made to understand the enhancement mechanisms by which magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) addition enhances the anaerobic digestion process of numerous organic wastes. Some hypotheses point to the dissolution of iron as essential iron for anaerobic digestion development, and the state of oxidation of iron NPs that can reduce organic matter to methane. The evolution and trends of this novel topic are discussed in this manuscript. Perspectives on the needed works on this topic are also presented.

Performance and mechanism of conductive magnetite particle-enhanced excess sludge anaerobic digestion for biogas recovery

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of magnetite particles on the anaerobic digestion of excess sludge. The results showed that methane production increased with the increase in magnetite dosage in the range of 0–5 g L⁻¹, and the cumulative methane production increased by 50.1% at a magnetite dosage of 5 g L⁻¹ compared with the blank reactor after 20 days. Simultaneously, numerous volatile fatty acids (VFAs) were produced at high magnetite dosages, providing the required substrates for methanogenesis. The concentration of magnetite addition was positively correlated with methane production, which proved that magnetite was beneficial for the promotion of the conversion of VFAs to methane. Moreover, the degradation efficiencies of proteins and carbohydrates reached 64% and 52.6% at the magnetite dosage of 5 g L⁻¹, respectively, and corresponding activities of protease and coenzyme F420 were 9.03 IU L⁻¹ and 1.652 μmol L⁻¹. In addition, the Methanosaeta and Methanoregula genus were enriched by magnetite, which often participate in direct interspecies electron transfer as electron acceptors.

Magnetite particles were applied to excess sludge anaerobic digestion. The methane production and sludge reduction were related to magnetite particle dosage, and the Methanosaeta and Methanoregula involved in the electron transfer were enriched.

In-situ formation and self-immobilization of biogenic Fe oxides in anaerobic granular sludge for enhanced performance of acidogenesis and methanogenesis

Addition of ferric oxides into flocculent anaerobic sludge was reported to enhance methanogenesis due to accelerated direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) between syntrophic microbial communities. However, it is generally hard to incorporate Fe oxides into already matured anaerobic granular sludge (AGS) due to its special aggregated structure. In this study, a novel method was attempted to fast incorporate Fe oxides into AGS through in-situ microbial formation and immobilization of biogenic Fe oxides. Factors influencing the formation of Fe oxides were investigated and effects of Fe oxides on the acidogenic and methanogenic performance of AGS were assessed. Results showed that AGS could form Fe oxides mainly in the form of magnetite and hematite through biological reduction of Fe(III) oxyhydroxide. A maximum loading amount of 83.9 mg Fe/g MLVSS was obtained at pH 7 after contacting with 60 mM Fe(III) oxyhydroxide. The efficiency of electron donors which supported Fe(III) reduction followed the order of pyruvate > propionate > glucose > acetate > lactate > formate. Addition of electron transfer mediators (ETMs) promoted the formation of Fe oxides and their performance followed the order of AQDS > AQC > humics > FMN > riboflavin. Presence of Fe oxides in AGS (134.6 Fe/g VSS) increased the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and methane by 16.28% and 41.94% respectively, comparing to the control. The enhancement may be attributed to increased conductivity and stimulated growth of exoelectrogens (Clostridium and Anaerolinea) and methanogenic endoelectrogens Methanosaeta in granular sludge which may strengthen direct interspecies electron transfer between syntrophic microbial communities. Overall, this study provides an alternative strategy to improve the digestion performance of AGS through in-situ formation and immobilization of biogenic Fe oxides.

Insight into the performance and microbial community profiles of magnetite-amended anaerobic digestion: Varying promotion effects at increased loads

In current study, the enhancement effect of magnetite on anaerobic digestion was evaluated at increased organic loading rate (OLR) from 1.6 to 25.6 kg COD·m^-3·d^-1. The supplement of magnetite enhanced the methane yield by 7-483% accompanied with faster VFAs conversion. Microbial analysis suggested the varied enhancing effect achieved at different OLRs was attributed to different syntrophic interactions triggered by magnetite. More specially, an electroactive syntropy was established between Trichococcus with Methanobacterium at OLR lower than 6.4 kg COD·m^-3·d^-1, while with the OLR increase, more acid fermentative bacteria (Propionimicrobium, Syner-01) were enriched and further enhanced methanogenesis in a syntrophic way with Methanosaeta. Overall, the incorporation of magnetite was a promising approach to achieve efficient anaerobic digestion, OLR was also critical factor affecting the methanogenesis and should be carefully regulated in future application.

Ferroferric oxide promotes metabolism in Anaerolineae other than microbial syntrophy in anaerobic methanogenesis of antibiotic fermentation residue

Antibiotic fermentation residue (AFR) is a kind of protein-rich biosolids that would be utilized as valuable substrates for biogas production. However, the effectiveness of conductive material supplementation and its effect on the microbiome in anaerobic digestion of AFR have not been fully elucidated. The objective of this study is to access the impact of Fe₃O₄ addition on anaerobic digestion of AFR and reveal its microbial mechanism. By adding Fe₃O₄ at concentration of 150 mg/gTS to two typical AFRs, the methane yield was decreased while the methane production rate was significantly enhanced by 48% and 21%, respectively. Genomic analyses revealed that the Fe₃O₄ addition altered the microbial community by selecting the unknown genus of Anaerolineae with the metabolic capacity of carbohydrate hydrolysis and proteolysis. Meanwhile, the hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was the dominant pathway in the AFR digestion system, which was mostly contributed by the Methanoculleus and Methanolinea. More interestingly, Methanoculleus might possess fermentative capability involved in the versatile hydrolysis pathway. Although the genes related to electrically conductive pili were detected, the induction of direct interspecies electron transfer by Fe₃O₄ supplementation was not confirmed in this study. In summary, except the accelerated methane production rate, Fe₃O₄ addition functioned as biostimulator for Anaerolineae other than electron conduit in anaerobic methanogenesis in the AFR digestion system.

Link between characteristics of Fe(III) oxides and critical role in enhancing anaerobic methanogenic degradation of complex organic compounds

Fe(III) oxides have been investigated to accelerate anaerobic methanogenic degradation of complex organic compounds. However, the critical role linked to the characteristics of different types of Fe(III) oxides is still unclear. Study presented here performed a side-by-side comparison of four types of Fe(III) oxides including Fe(III)-citrate, ferrihydrite, hematite and magnetite to evaluate their effectiveness in methanogenic degradation of phenol. Results showed that, amorphous Fe(III)-citrate group showed the fastest phenol degradation and Fe²⁺ release among all the groups, followed by poorly crystalline ferrihydrite. Although Fe(III)-citrate group also showed the fastest methane production rate, the efficiency of electron recovery in methane production was only 58-78%, which was evidently lower than that in both crystalline hematite (86-89%) and magnetite (93-97%) groups. Methane production rate with non-conductive ferrihydrite was nearly same as that with conductive magnetite, both of which were significantly higher than that with semi-conductive hematite. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed that sludge collected from hematite and magnetite group still respectively presented a relatively intact characteristic spectra involved in hematite and magnetite. Differently, the characteristic spectra involved in ferrihydrite was not evident in sludge collected from ferrihydrite group, whereas the characteristic spectra involved in magnetite was detected. Microbial community analysis showed that, both Fe(III)-citrate and ferrihydrite specially enriched Fe(III)-reducing bacteria capable of degrading phenol into fatty acids (Trichococcus and Caloramator) via dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction. Fe(III)-citrate also stimulated the growth of Syntrophus capable of degrading phenol/benzoate into acetate and proceeding direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET). In magnetite and hematite group, the abundance of Enterococcus species evidently increased, and they might proceed DIET with Methanothrix species in syntrophic conversion of fatty acids into methane.

Carbon cloth facilitates semi-continuous anaerobic digestion of organic wastewater rich in volatile fatty acids from dark fermentation

The anaerobic digestion of wastewater rich in volatile fatty acids (VFAs) provides a sustainable approach for methane production whilst reducing environmental pollution. However, the anaerobic digestion of VFAs may not be stable during long-term operation under a short hydraulic retention time. In this study, conductive carbon cloth was supplemented to investigate the impacts on the anaerobic digestion of VFAs in wastewater sourced from dark fermentation. The results demonstrated that the failure of anaerobic digestion could be avoided when carbon cloth was supplemented. In the stable stage, the methane production rate with carbon cloth supplementation was improved by 200-260%, and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency was significantly enhanced compared with that in the control without carbon cloth. The relative abundance of potential exoelectrogens on the carbon cloth was increased by up to 8-fold compared with that in the suspension. Electrotrophic methanogens on the carbon cloth were enriched by 4.2-17.2% compared with those in the suspension. The genera Ercella and Petrimonas along with the methanogenic archaea Methanosaeta and Methanosarcina on the carbon cloth may facilitate direct interspecies electron transfer, thereby enhancing methane production.

Strategies to boost anaerobic digestion performance of cow manure: Laboratory achievements and their full-scale application potential

Cow manure represents a surplus manure waste in agricultural food sectors, which requires proper disposal. Anaerobic digestion, in this regard, has raised global interest owing to its apparent environmental benefits, including simultaneous waste diminishment and renewable energy generation. However, dedicated intensifications are necessary to promote the degradation of recalcitrant lignocellulosic components of cow manure. Hence, this manuscript presents a review of how to exploit cow manure in anaerobic digestion through different incentives extensively at lab-scale and full-scale. These strategies comprise 1) co-digestion; 2) pretreatment; 3) introduction of additives (trace metals, carbon-based materials, low-cost composites, nanomaterials, and microbial cultures); 4) innovative systems (bio-electrochemical fields and laser irradiation). Results imply that co-digestion and pretreatment approaches gain the predominance on promoting the digestion performance of cow manure. Particularly, for the co-digestion scenario, the selection of lignin-poor co-substrate is highlighted to produce maximum synergy and pronounced removal of lignocellulosic compounds of cow manure. Mechanical, thermal, and biological (composting) pretreatments generate mild improvement at laboratory-scale and are proved applicable in full-scale facilities. It is noteworthy that the introduction of additives (Fe-based nanomaterials, carbon-based materials, and composites) is acquiring more attention and shows promising full-scale application potential. Finally, bio-electrochemical fields stand out in laboratory trials and may serve as future reactor modules in agricultural anaerobic digestion installations treating cow manure.

Magnetite-contained biochar derived from fenton sludge modulated electron transfer of microorganisms in anaerobic digestion

Biochar, with redox moieties or conjugated π-bond, can act as electron shuttle or conductor to facilitate electron transfer of syntrophic metabolism to enhance anaerobic digestion. High pyrolysis temperature (>500 ℃) is usually required to prepare conductive biochar, which however may cause biochar to loss redox moieties such as quinone/hydroquinone that are capable of serving as electron shuttle. Considering that magnetite is an excellent conductor which has been applied in improving syntrophic metabolism of anaerobic digestion, a novel magnetite-contained biochar was prepared using iron-rich Fenton sludge as raw material in this study. Amorphous iron oxides of Fenton sludge were transformed into magnetite at 400 ℃ of pyrolysis, while redox quinone/hydroquinone moieties of biochar were preserved well. Correspondingly, this magnetic biochar owned both high capacitance and excellent conductivity. When supplementing the biochar into an anaerobic digestion system, methane production was significantly enhanced. This study also offered a new approach to recycle Fenton sludge that is regarded as hazardous material.

Enhanced bisphenol S anaerobic degradation using an NZVI-HA-modified anode in bioelectrochemical systems

As a substitute for bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS) has a longer half-life, higher chemical inertness and better skin permeability than BPA, and it also has a strong endocrine disruption effect. Relatively few studies have focused on the main processing technology for BPS biodegradation, and the findings indicate that the biodegradation efficiency of BPS was relatively low. Therefore, this paper used an NZVI-HA composite-modified bio-anode to enhance the anaerobic degradation of BPS in a Bioelectrochemical Systems (BES). The results showed that the degradation efficiency of BPS was improved from 31.1% to 92.2% with the NZVI-HA modification compared with the control group (CC-BES). FTIR and XPS analyzes demonstrated that HA can accelerate the reduction rate of Fe³⁺ and increase the ratio of Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺. In addition, HA can form Fe-O-HA complexes with NZVI to promote electron transfer. An analysis of the NZVI-HA-BES intermediate metabolites revealed that complex modification properties altered the BPS degradation pathway. An analysis of microbial diversity indicated that the bacteria related to the degradation of BPS may be Terrimonas, Lysobacter, and Acidovorax.

Addition of a carbon fiber brush improves anaerobic digestion compared to external voltage application

Two methods were examined to improve methane production efficiency in anaerobic digestion (AD) based on adding a large amount of surface area using a single electrically conductive carbon brush, or by adding electrodes as done in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) to form a hybrid AD-MEC. To examine the impact of surface area relative to electrodes, AD reactors were fitted with a single large brush without electrodes (FB), half a large brush with two electrodes with an applied voltage (0.8 V) and operated in closed circuit (HB-CC) or open circuit (HB-OC) mode, or only two electrodes with a closed circuit and no large brush (NB-CC) (equivalent to an MEC). The three configurations with a half or full brush all had improved performance as shown by 57-82% higher methane generation rate parameters in the Gompertz model compared to NB-CC. The retained biomass was much higher in the reactors with large brush, which likely contributed to the rapid consumption of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and therefore improved AD performance. A different microbial community structure was formed in the large-size brushes compared to the electrodes. Methanothrix was predominant in the biofilm of large-size carbon brush, while Geobacter (anode) and Methanobacterium (cathode) were highly abundant in the electrode biofilms. These results demonstrate that adding a high surface area carbon fiber brush will be a more effective method of improving AD performance than using MEC electrodes with an applied voltage.

New insights into enhanced anaerobic degradation of coal gasification wastewater (CGW) with the assistance of magnetite nanoparticles

Magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs) was firstly used to enhance pollutants removal during coal gasification wastewater (CGW) treatment in anaerobic digestion (AD) system. Bench-scale results revealed that 200 mg/L and 20-40 nm of Fe₃O₄ NPs addition resulted in a maximum removal capacity of total phenol (TPh) at a temperature of 36 °C and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 36 h. Meanwhile, Fe₃O₄ NPs addition reduced the oxidation reduction potential (ORP) values and biological toxicity, and enhanced the stability of AD system. Pilot-scale results showed that the TPh and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency (53% and 49%) were obtained with the optimal dosage of Fe₃O₄ NPs. Moreover, electron nanowires may be established with Fe₃O₄ NPs assisted to perform direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) among Geobacter, Pseudomonas and Methanosaeta species, and finally enhanced the pollutants removal efficiency.

An underappreciated DIET for anaerobic petroleum hydrocarbon-degrading microbial communities

Direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) via electrically conductive minerals can play a role in the anaerobic oxidation of petroleum hydrocarbons in contaminated sites and can be exploited for the development of new, more effective bioremediation approaches.

Sparking Anaerobic Digestion: Promoting Direct Interspecies Electron Transfer to Enhance Methane Production

Anaerobic digestion was one of the first bioenergy strategies developed, yet the interactions of the microbial community that is responsible for the production of methane are still poorly understood. For example, it has only recently been recognized that the bacteria that oxidize organic waste components can forge electrical connections with methane-producing microbes through biologically produced, protein-based, conductive circuits. This direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) is faster than interspecies electron exchange via diffusive electron carriers, such as H2. DIET is also more resilient to perturbations such as increases in organic load inputs or toxic compounds. However, with current digester practices DIET rarely predominates. Improvements in anaerobic digestion associated with the addition of electrically conductive materials have been attributed to increased DIET, but experimental verification has been lacking. This deficiency may soon be overcome with improved understanding of the diversity of microbes capable of DIET, which is leading to molecular tools for determining the extent of DIET. Here we review the microbiology of DIET, suggest molecular strategies for monitoring DIET in anaerobic digesters, and propose approaches for re-engineering digester design and practices to encourage DIET.

Promoting anaerobic digestion by algae-based hydrochars in a continuous reactor

The microalgae and macroalgae-based hydrochars produced by hydrothermal carbonization were mainly used as biofuels, however, their application in anaerobic digestion (AD) was little known. This study investigated the effects of microalgae Chlorella-based hydrochar (HC-C) and macroalgae Laminaria-based hydrochar (HC-L) on a continuous AD reactor under different organic loading rates (OLR). The AD process stability of hydrochars supplemented reactors were performed well under the increase of OLR from 2.6 to 6.5 g COD/L/d, and HC-C and HC-L addition could significantly enhance the daily methane yield by 36.0% and 31.4%, respectively. Interestingly, the possible mechanisms of HC-C and HC-L on the enhanced AD were similar, namely increasing sludge granulation, promoting the Methanothrix relative abundance and key enzyme activities, and further facilitating potential direct interspecies electron transfer between methanogens and organic-degrading bacteria. This study provided an implication on the potential application of algae-based hydrochars in wastewater treatment and energy recovery.

Clarifying the synergetic effect of magnetite nanoparticles in the methane production process

Magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs) were applied in an anaerobic semi-continuous tank reactor (ASTR) to investigate its effect on the anaerobic digestion (AD) of acetate synthetic wastewater. The Fe₃O₄ NPs corrosion could create a more favorable micro-environment to enhance the methanogens activity. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency and methane production in test (ASTR_T) were 31.1% and 101.5% higher than those in control (ASTR_C). With the addition of Fe₃O₄ NPs, the concentration of key coenzyme (F₄₂₀ and M) increased from averagely 0.523 and 5.352 μmol/g-VSS to 0.956 and 9.267 μmol/g-VSS, and the content of soluble microbial products (SMPs) significantly increased. Additionally, the high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing further confirmed that the percentage of hydrogen-utilizing methanogens (Methanolinea) was up to 62.6% of total archaeal sequences. Fe₃O₄ NPs addition would accelerate electrons transfer from acids oxidizers to syntrophic methanogenesis, further stimulate acids oxidizers to decompose acetate to H₂/CO₂, and finally facilitate more methane production.

TiO2 nanoparticles accelerate methanogenesis in mangrove wetlands sediment

In this study, the response of methane (CH₄) production to the addition of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) with three types of short-chain fatty acids (sodium acetate, sodium propionate and sodium butyrate) as carbon sources in mangrove sediment was investigated. The results showed that the maximum CH₄ formation rate increased by 45.2%, 32.7% and 48.6% and the maximum cumulative CH₄ production increased by 25.2%, 7.7% and 6.3% with the addition of TiO₂ NPs in the sodium acetate, sodium propionate and sodium butyrate systems, respectively. The microbial community analysis revealed that the electrogenic bacteria Proteiniclasticum and Pseudomonas, butyrate oxidizing bacteria Syntrophomonas and methanogens Methanobacterium and Methanosarcina were significantly enriched in the presence of TiO₂ NPs, indicating that TiO₂ NPs can enhance CH₄ production by stimulating the growth of different species of methanogens and butyrate oxidizing bacteria. The enlarged distance between microbes, the enhanced conductivity of the sediment and the typical microorganisms for direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) with the addition of TiO₂ NPs suggest that the promoted DIET between distinct microorganisms could be another possible explanation for the improvement in CH₄ production. It can be speculated that a weaker effect on methanogenesis increases under the natural concentration of TiO₂ NPs compared with the experimental conditions; however, the amounts of TiO₂ NPs are increasing enriched in wetland environments. Therefore, the findings of this study increase current knowledge about the effect of nanomaterials on global CH₄ emissions and suggest that the discharge of wastewater containing TiO₂ NPs from the synthesis and incorporation of TiO₂ NPs in customer products needs to be monitored.

Enhanced Anaerobic Digestion by Stimulating DIET Reaction

Since the observation of direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) in anaerobic mixed cultures in 2010s, the topic “DIET-stimulation” has been the main route to enhance the performance of anaerobic digestion (AD) under harsh conditions, such as high organic loading rate (OLR) and the toxicants’ presence. In this review article, we tried to answer three main questions: (i) What are the merits and strategies for DIET stimulation? (ii) What are the consequences of stimulation? (iii) What is the mechanism of action behind the impact of this stimulation? Therefore, we introduced DIET history and recent relevant findings with a focus on the theoretical advantages. Then, we reviewed the most recent articles by categorizing how DIET reaction was stimulated by adding conductive material (CM) and/or applying external voltage (EV). The emphasis was made on the enhanced performance (yield and/or production rate), CM type, applied EV, and mechanism of action for each stimulation strategy. In addition, we explained DIET-caused changes in microbial community structure. Finally, future perspectives and practical limitations/chances were explored in detail. We expect this review article will provide a better understanding for DIET pathway in AD and encourage further research development in a right direction.

Comparative facilitation of activated carbon and goethite on methanogenesis from volatile fatty acids

To provide insight into direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) via carbon-based materials and ferric oxides, the effects of three conductive materials (i.e. activated carbon (AC), iron modified activated carbon (FEAC) and goethite (FEOOH)), on methanogenesis from volatile fatty acids (VFAs) were evaluated. Under the acid stress (~4 g/L VFAs), the maximum methane yield of 266 mL/g-chemical oxygen demand (COD) was found in the FEOOH supplemented reactor, which was 48% higher than that of AC reactor. The reasons for the enhanced activity of the electron transport chain and extracellular electron transfer ability by FEOOH include: 1) the activation on iron-containing enzymes that involved in methanogenesis and acidogenesis; 2) selective enrichment on functional microorganism. The higher electron donating capacities (EDC) value of FEOOH may be a triggering factor on the growth of Syntrophomonadaceae, which perform DIET with methanogens (Methanosaeta and Methanosarcina) for the syntrophic degradation of VFAs.