Auxiliary voltage enhanced microbial methane oxidation co-driven by nitrite and sulfate reduction

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2020-07, Vol.250, p.126259-126259, Article 126259
• Main Authors: Chai, Fengguang, Li, Lin, Xue, Song, Liu, Junxin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anaerobiosis; Auxiliary voltage; Bacteria - metabolism; Bioreactors - microbiology; Denitrification; Methane - metabolism; Methane oxidation; Microbial population; Nitrite reduction; Nitrites - metabolism; Nitrogen - metabolism; Oxidation-Reduction; Potential pathway; Sulfate reduction; Sulfates - metabolism
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126259

In this study, single-chamber bioelectrochemical reactors (EMNS) were used to investigate the methane oxidation driven by sulfate and nitrite reduction with the auxiliary voltage. Results showed that the methane oxidation was simultaneously driven by sulfate and nitrite reduction, with more methane being converted using the auxiliary voltage. When the voltage was 1.6 V, the maximum removal rate was achieved at 8.05 mg L−1 d−1. Carbon dioxide and methanol were the main products of methane oxidation. Simultaneously, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, sulfur ions, and hydrogen sulfide were detected as products of sulfate and nitrite reduction. Microbial populations were analyzed by qPCR and high-throughput sequencing. The detected methanotrophs included Methylocaldum sp., Methylocystis sp., Methylobacter sp. and M. oxyfera. The highest abundance of M. oxyfera was (3.97 ± 0.32) × 106 copies L−1 in the EMNS-1.6. The dominant nitrite-reducing bacteria were Ignavibacterium sp., Hyphomicrobium sp., Alicycliphilus sp., and Anammox bacteria. Desulfovibrio sp., Desulfosporosinus sp. and Thiobacillus sp. were related to the sulfur cycle. Ignavibacterium sp., Thiobacillus sp. and Desulfovibrio sp. may transfer electrons with electrodes using humic acids as the electronic shuttle. The possible pathways included (1) Methane was mainly oxidized to carbon dioxide and dissolved organic matters by methanotrophs utilizing the oxygen produced by the disproportionation in the cells of M. oxyfera. (2) Nitrite was reduced to nitrogen by heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria with dissolved organic compounds. (3) Desulfovibrio sp. and Desulfosporosinus sp. reduced sulfate to sulfur ions. Thiobacillus sp. oxidized sulfur ions to sulfur or sulfate using nitrite as the electron acceptor. [Display omitted] •Methane oxidation can be co-driven by nitrite and sulfate reduction.•Auxiliary voltage plays an important role in strengthening methane oxidation.•The conversion products of methane were carbon dioxide and methanol.•The dominant methanotrophs included the M. oxyfera, Methylocystis sp., Methylobacter sp., and Methylocaldum sp..•Possible pathways were proposed for the methane oxidation coupled with nitrite and sulfate reduction.