Low-voltage stimulated denitrification performance of high-salinity wastewater using halotolerant microorganisms

Long Chen; Hai Xiang; Li-Ting Zhou; Yan-Qing Zhang; Yang-Cheng Ding; Di Wu; Nan-Wen Zhu; Yi-Feng Zhang; Hua-Jun Feng

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130688

Low-voltage stimulated denitrification performance of high-salinity wastewater using halotolerant microorganisms

Bioresour Technol. 2024 Jun:401:130688. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130688. Epub 2024 Apr 9.

Authors

Long Chen¹, Hai Xiang², Li-Ting Zhou¹, Yan-Qing Zhang¹, Yang-Cheng Ding³, Di Wu⁴, Nan-Wen Zhu⁵, Yi-Feng Zhang⁶, Hua-Jun Feng⁷

Affiliations

¹ School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang, China; International Science and Technology Cooperation Platform for Low-Carbon Recycling of Waste and Green Development, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012, Zhejiang, China.
² College of Environment and Resources, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, Zhejiang, China.
³ School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang, China; College of Environment and Resources, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, Zhejiang, China; International Science and Technology Cooperation Platform for Low-Carbon Recycling of Waste and Green Development, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012, Zhejiang, China.
⁴ Center for Environmental and Energy Research (CEER) - Engineering of Materials via Catalysis and Characterization, Ghent University Global Campus, 119-5 Songdomunhwa-Ro, Yeonsu-Gu, Incheon 406-840, South Korea.
⁵ Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Solid Waste Treatment and Resource Recovery, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
⁶ Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark.
⁷ School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang, China; College of Environment and Resources, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, Zhejiang, China; International Science and Technology Cooperation Platform for Low-Carbon Recycling of Waste and Green Development, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: fenghuajun@zjgsu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38604298
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130688

Abstract

Nitrate is a common contaminant in high-salinity wastewater, which has adverse effects on both the environment and human health. However, conventional biological treatment exhibits poor denitrification performance due to the high-salinity shock. In this study, an innovative approach using an electrostimulating microbial reactor (EMR) was explored to address this challenge. With a low-voltage input of 1.2 V, the EMR reached nitrate removal kinetic parameter (k_NO3-N) of 0.0166-0.0808 h^-1 under high-salinities (1.5 %-6.5 %), which was higher than that of the microbial reactor (MR) (0.0125-0.0478 h^-1). The mechanisms analysis revealed that low-voltage significantly enhanced microbial salt-in strategy and promoted the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances. Halotolerant denitrification microorganisms (Pseudomonas and Nitratireductor) were also enriched in EMR. Moreover, the EMR achieved a NO₃-N removal efficiency of 73.64 % in treating high-salinity wastewater (salinity 4.69 %) over 18-cycles, whereas the MR only reached 54.67 %. In summary, this study offers an innovative solution for denitrification of high-salinity wastewater.

Keywords: Denitrification; High-salinity wastewater; Low-voltage stimulation; Salt-tolerance.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Bioreactors*
Denitrification*
Electricity
Nitrates* / metabolism
Pseudomonas / metabolism
Salinity*
Wastewater* / chemistry
Water Purification / methods

Substances

Wastewater
Nitrates