[Reductive degradation of chloramphenicol in bioelectrochemical system]

In this study, we investigated reductive degradation of nitroaromatic antibiotic chloramphenicol to non-effective antibacterial amine product in fed-batch biocatalyzed electrolysis systems (BES) (applied voltage was 0.5 V) under low temperature (12 +/- 2 degrees C). The ohm resistance of the whole BES reactor increased when the phosphate buffer solution concentrations decreased. Efficiencies (ErCAP) of chloramphenicol reduction with biocathode (PBS, 25 mmol/L) in presence of glucose was (86.3 +/- 1.69)% within 24 h and sludge fermentation liquor was (74.1 +/-1.44)% within 24 h. While the ErCAP of abiotic cathode under the same condition was only (57.9 +/- 1.94)% within 24 h. It suggested that biocathode could be a promising technology for reductive biodegradation of nitroaromatic antibiotics-containing wastewater in areas with relatively low annual mean temperature.