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Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery
Published on: January 22, 2015
Microcurrent stimulation reactivates the electron transport chain to resuscitate ammonia-oxidizing bacteria from
Ziyang Tang1, Bangrui Lan1, Longbin Yu1
1Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Regional Environment and Sustainability, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Abstract:
Low temperatures severely inhibit microbial nitrogen metabolism, posing a significant bottleneck for stable wastewater treatment during cold seasons. To address this issue, the mechanism by which microcurrent stimulation restores the activity of the model ammonium-oxidizing bacteria Nitrosomonas europaea under cold-stressed conditions was investigated. Microcurrent treatment significantly reversed the low temperature induced inhibition, achieving a 20-fold increase in peak ammonium removal rate compared to the low temperature control group. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics revealed that microcurrent acts by reactivating the electron transport chain (ETC). Transcriptional profiling revealed a sustained upregulation of genes encoding key respiratory complexes, including nuoD (Complex I), sdhA (Complex II), and coxA (Complex IV), and ATP synthase (atpE). Comparative proteomics confirmed that these transcriptional changes translated into the functional accumulation of respiratory enzymes and upstream dehydrogenases, effectively reconstituting the proton motive force (PMF) and ATP synthesis capabilities. The restored bioenergetic status further supported the enrichment of ribosomal proteins and chaperones (e.g., GroES), facilitating protein synthesis and maintenance of proteostasis despite the low temperature. This study provides a mechanistic basis for utilizing low-energy electrical stimulation to stabilize biological nitrification processes under cold conditions.
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