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Synergistic and competitive interactions between solid carbon sources and current-driven sulfate reduction in a
Ziting Liu1, Chaorui Zhao1, Nan Chen1
1School of Water Resources and Environment, MOE Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China.
Journal of Hazardous Materials
|March 29, 2026
Summary
This study improved sulfate removal using electrical stimulation and wheat straw in a microbial electrolysis cell, achieving high efficiency and stable sulfur immobilization over 293 days to prevent pollution.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Microbiology
- Electrochemistry
Background:
- Conventional microbial sulfate reduction faces challenges like low efficiency, poor sulfur immobilization, and instability, causing secondary pollution.
- Extreme carbon-to-sulfur (C/S) ratios exacerbate these issues in sulfate pollution control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a stable and efficient method for sulfate removal and sulfur immobilization.
- To investigate the synergistic effects of electrical stimulation and solid-phase carbon sources in a microbial electrolysis cell.
Main Methods:
- A single-chamber microbial electrolysis cell was constructed using wheat straw as a solid-phase carbon source and electrical stimulation.
- Long-term operation (293 days) was conducted under optimized conditions (HRT=2.0 d, C/S=1.5, current density=100 mA/m²).
- Sulfur transformation, microbial activity (ETS, ATP), and microbial community structure (metagenomics) were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Achieved 92.45% sulfate removal efficiency and 26.30% dissolved sulfide accumulation rate.
- Demonstrated stable performance over 293 days, including resilience to shock events.
- Identified directional conversion of sulfide to FeS and S⁰, efficient sulfur immobilization, and suppressed secondary pollution.
- Observed enhanced microbial activity and specific gene expression related to sulfur metabolism and extracellular electron transfer.
Conclusions:
- Electrical stimulation and wheat straw exhibit a synergistic effect, significantly enhancing sulfate reduction and sulfur immobilization.
- The system's stability and efficiency provide a promising solution for in situ water remediation.
- Understanding the optimized electron transfer network and sulfur transformation mechanisms is crucial for practical applications.
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