Electron-deficient wastewater treatment in membrane-aerated conductive biofilm reactor: Performance and mechanism

A membrane-aerated conductive biofilm reactor (MA-CBR) was constructed for carbon-limited wastewater treatment and to reduce the stress of the electric field on nitrous oxide reductase (NosZ). Counter-diffusion with an embedded aerobic layer declined the effect of current on NosZ (K00376) for N₂O reduction. Other coding genes for denitrification in cathodic membrane aerated biofilms, including K02568, K00368, K15864, K02305, and K04561, were also positively affected by the electric field and significantly accumulate in Thauera. NH₄⁺-N oxidation can occur at the anode and cathode (membrane aeration biofilm). This cathodic synergistic NH₄⁺-N oxidation provided more electrons to be directly utilized by the denitrifying bacteria at the cathode. Compared to the MABR, the total nitrogen removal efficiency of MA-CBR increased by 5.68 mg/L, 11.02 mg/L, and 15.63 mg/L at voltages of 0.25 V, 0.50 V, and 0.75 V, respectively.