Authors: Yu Zhang, Binbin Wang, Sebastià Puig, Yingdong Tong, Yingxing Zhao, Siyuan Zhai

Capturing wastewater nitrogen through METs-assisted dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) using various electron donors: Recent Trends, challenges, and future directions

The rapid increase in population, urbanization, and industrialization have led to the discharge of wastewater with high-concentration of nitrate contaminant. Here we emphasize the intervention point of nitrate fate, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), and propose a potential strategy to achieve nitrogen recovery. The resource recovery process of applying microbial electrochemical technologies (METs) to traditional energy-intensive wastewater treatment to recover valuable nitrogen products was investigated. This review systematically elucidates the DNRA pathway, focusing on recent trends of METs-assisted DNRA-driven nitrogen recycling and the use of different electron donors in current research. Different types of DNRA functional microorganisms were critically summarized and compared, laying the foundations for applying DNRA keystone species. In addition, the competition and switching mechanism between denitrification process and DNRA process are analyzed in detail, which provides support for DNRA-driven nitrogen recovery by microbial electrochemical technology. Finally, the present challenges and prospects in METs-assisted DNRA for nitrogen recovery are discussed, including enhancement strategies, possible integration with other processes, and the potential application of multi-component substrates.

Year:2024
Authors:Yu Zhang, Binbin Wang, Sebastià Puig, Yingdong Tong, Yingxing Zhao, Siyuan Zhai
Reference:Chemical Engineering Journal, Volume 501, 2024, 157597, ISSN 1385-8947
Link:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.157597