Performance examination of anodic bioelectrochemical contributions in pyrite and graphite multi-anode–constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells under hydraulic and organic loads

Prince Atta Opoku; Huang Jingyu; Xu Shaowei

doi:10.1007/s11356-026-37758-0

Performance examination of anodic bioelectrochemical contributions in pyrite and graphite multi-anode–constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells under hydraulic and organic loads

Prince Atta Opoku^*
, Huang Jingyu
, Xu Shaowei

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology
Hohai University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Understanding how spatially distributed electroactive units contribute to the collective performance of multi-anode–constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells (CW-MFCs) is essential for advancing system design and optimization. In this study, we systematically dissect the individual anodic electrochemical and biological contributions of pyrite- and graphite-based multi-anode CW-MFCs (Py-MACW-MFC and GG-MACW-MFC) under varying organic and hydraulic load conditions to elucidate anode-specific mechanisms driving wastewater treatment and power generation. The Py-MACW-MFC exhibited superior treatment performance, achieving optimal removal efficiencies of 96.33 ± 0.72% (COD), 82.60 ± 3.12% (NH₄⁺–N), and 47.09 ± 0.58% (TP) at an influent COD of 400 mg L⁻¹, representing 1.03-, 1.2-, and 1.1-fold improvements over the GG-MACW-MFC, respectively. The optimal hydraulic retention time was determined to be 1.5 days, beyond which performance declined, yielding maximum removal efficiencies of 95.92 ± 0.37% (COD), 72.98 ± 0.70% (NH₄⁺–N), and 48.26 ± 5.43% (TP) in the Py-MACW-MFC. Spatially resolved electrochemical analysis revealed distinct anodic behaviors, with the power density of individual anodes following the order A₂ (25.54 mW m⁻³) > A₁ (24.14 mW m⁻³) > A₃ (23.81 mW m⁻³), which were 1.47-, 1.28-, and 1.22-fold higher than those of the GG-MACW-MFC, respectively. The results demonstrate that electrode composition critically shapes localized bio-electrochemical performance. Microbial community analysis further revealed that pyrite promoted a higher abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, alongside enhanced denitrification-related functional genes, underpinning its superior pollutant removal and energy recovery capacity. These findings established pyrite as a promising electrode material and revealed how anode-specific bio-electrochemical interactions shape system-wide functionality, offering a mechanistic foundation for the rational design of next-generation, spatially optimized CW-MFCs.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	7093-7117
Number of pages	25
Journal	Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Volume	33
Issue number	15
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-026-37758-0
State	Published - Apr 2026
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Anodic spatial heterogeneity
Bioelectricity
Constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell
Electrode-specific wastewater treatment
Pyrite-graphite interface

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10.1007/s11356-026-37758-0

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@article{32ca9fb0368741d39ca64a81f61e883c,

title = "Performance examination of anodic bioelectrochemical contributions in pyrite and graphite multi-anode–constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells under hydraulic and organic loads",

abstract = "Understanding how spatially distributed electroactive units contribute to the collective performance of multi-anode–constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells (CW-MFCs) is essential for advancing system design and optimization. In this study, we systematically dissect the individual anodic electrochemical and biological contributions of pyrite- and graphite-based multi-anode CW-MFCs (Py-MACW-MFC and GG-MACW-MFC) under varying organic and hydraulic load conditions to elucidate anode-specific mechanisms driving wastewater treatment and power generation. The Py-MACW-MFC exhibited superior treatment performance, achieving optimal removal efficiencies of 96.33 ± 0.72\% (COD), 82.60 ± 3.12\% (NH4⁺–N), and 47.09 ± 0.58\% (TP) at an influent COD of 400 mg L−1, representing 1.03-, 1.2-, and 1.1-fold improvements over the GG-MACW-MFC, respectively. The optimal hydraulic retention time was determined to be 1.5 days, beyond which performance declined, yielding maximum removal efficiencies of 95.92 ± 0.37\% (COD), 72.98 ± 0.70\% (NH4⁺–N), and 48.26 ± 5.43\% (TP) in the Py-MACW-MFC. Spatially resolved electrochemical analysis revealed distinct anodic behaviors, with the power density of individual anodes following the order A2 (25.54 mW m−3) > A1 (24.14 mW m−3) > A3 (23.81 mW m−3), which were 1.47-, 1.28-, and 1.22-fold higher than those of the GG-MACW-MFC, respectively. The results demonstrate that electrode composition critically shapes localized bio-electrochemical performance. Microbial community analysis further revealed that pyrite promoted a higher abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, alongside enhanced denitrification-related functional genes, underpinning its superior pollutant removal and energy recovery capacity. These findings established pyrite as a promising electrode material and revealed how anode-specific bio-electrochemical interactions shape system-wide functionality, offering a mechanistic foundation for the rational design of next-generation, spatially optimized CW-MFCs.",

keywords = "Anodic spatial heterogeneity, Bioelectricity, Constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell, Electrode-specific wastewater treatment, Pyrite-graphite interface",

author = "Opoku, \{Prince Atta\} and Huang Jingyu and Xu Shaowei",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2026.",

year = "2026",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1007/s11356-026-37758-0",

language = "英语",

volume = "33",

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Performance examination of anodic bioelectrochemical contributions in pyrite and graphite multi-anode–constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells under hydraulic and organic loads. / Opoku, Prince Atta; Jingyu, Huang; Shaowei, Xu.
In: Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Vol. 33, No. 15, 04.2026, p. 7093-7117.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Performance examination of anodic bioelectrochemical contributions in pyrite and graphite multi-anode–constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells under hydraulic and organic loads

AU - Opoku, Prince Atta

AU - Jingyu, Huang

AU - Shaowei, Xu

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2026.

PY - 2026/4

Y1 - 2026/4

N2 - Understanding how spatially distributed electroactive units contribute to the collective performance of multi-anode–constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells (CW-MFCs) is essential for advancing system design and optimization. In this study, we systematically dissect the individual anodic electrochemical and biological contributions of pyrite- and graphite-based multi-anode CW-MFCs (Py-MACW-MFC and GG-MACW-MFC) under varying organic and hydraulic load conditions to elucidate anode-specific mechanisms driving wastewater treatment and power generation. The Py-MACW-MFC exhibited superior treatment performance, achieving optimal removal efficiencies of 96.33 ± 0.72% (COD), 82.60 ± 3.12% (NH4⁺–N), and 47.09 ± 0.58% (TP) at an influent COD of 400 mg L−1, representing 1.03-, 1.2-, and 1.1-fold improvements over the GG-MACW-MFC, respectively. The optimal hydraulic retention time was determined to be 1.5 days, beyond which performance declined, yielding maximum removal efficiencies of 95.92 ± 0.37% (COD), 72.98 ± 0.70% (NH4⁺–N), and 48.26 ± 5.43% (TP) in the Py-MACW-MFC. Spatially resolved electrochemical analysis revealed distinct anodic behaviors, with the power density of individual anodes following the order A2 (25.54 mW m−3) > A1 (24.14 mW m−3) > A3 (23.81 mW m−3), which were 1.47-, 1.28-, and 1.22-fold higher than those of the GG-MACW-MFC, respectively. The results demonstrate that electrode composition critically shapes localized bio-electrochemical performance. Microbial community analysis further revealed that pyrite promoted a higher abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, alongside enhanced denitrification-related functional genes, underpinning its superior pollutant removal and energy recovery capacity. These findings established pyrite as a promising electrode material and revealed how anode-specific bio-electrochemical interactions shape system-wide functionality, offering a mechanistic foundation for the rational design of next-generation, spatially optimized CW-MFCs.

AB - Understanding how spatially distributed electroactive units contribute to the collective performance of multi-anode–constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells (CW-MFCs) is essential for advancing system design and optimization. In this study, we systematically dissect the individual anodic electrochemical and biological contributions of pyrite- and graphite-based multi-anode CW-MFCs (Py-MACW-MFC and GG-MACW-MFC) under varying organic and hydraulic load conditions to elucidate anode-specific mechanisms driving wastewater treatment and power generation. The Py-MACW-MFC exhibited superior treatment performance, achieving optimal removal efficiencies of 96.33 ± 0.72% (COD), 82.60 ± 3.12% (NH4⁺–N), and 47.09 ± 0.58% (TP) at an influent COD of 400 mg L−1, representing 1.03-, 1.2-, and 1.1-fold improvements over the GG-MACW-MFC, respectively. The optimal hydraulic retention time was determined to be 1.5 days, beyond which performance declined, yielding maximum removal efficiencies of 95.92 ± 0.37% (COD), 72.98 ± 0.70% (NH4⁺–N), and 48.26 ± 5.43% (TP) in the Py-MACW-MFC. Spatially resolved electrochemical analysis revealed distinct anodic behaviors, with the power density of individual anodes following the order A2 (25.54 mW m−3) > A1 (24.14 mW m−3) > A3 (23.81 mW m−3), which were 1.47-, 1.28-, and 1.22-fold higher than those of the GG-MACW-MFC, respectively. The results demonstrate that electrode composition critically shapes localized bio-electrochemical performance. Microbial community analysis further revealed that pyrite promoted a higher abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, alongside enhanced denitrification-related functional genes, underpinning its superior pollutant removal and energy recovery capacity. These findings established pyrite as a promising electrode material and revealed how anode-specific bio-electrochemical interactions shape system-wide functionality, offering a mechanistic foundation for the rational design of next-generation, spatially optimized CW-MFCs.

KW - Anodic spatial heterogeneity

KW - Bioelectricity

KW - Constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell

KW - Electrode-specific wastewater treatment

KW - Pyrite-graphite interface

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105036367036

U2 - 10.1007/s11356-026-37758-0

DO - 10.1007/s11356-026-37758-0

M3 - 文章

AN - SCOPUS:105036367036

SN - 0944-1344

VL - 33

SP - 7093

EP - 7117

JO - Environmental Science and Pollution Research

JF - Environmental Science and Pollution Research

IS - 15

ER -

Performance examination of anodic bioelectrochemical contributions in pyrite and graphite multi-anode–constructed wetland-microbial fuel cells under hydraulic and organic loads

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Keywords

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