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Rice Straw-Derived Magnetic Hydrothermal Carbon Accelerates Anaerobic Azo Dye Biodegradation Through Enhanced
Lei Ma1,2, Yong Tian1, Xinyu Che1,2
1College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China.
Biology
|June 25, 2026
Summary
This study developed Fe3O4@hydrothermal carbon from rice straw to enhance azo dye decolorization in wastewater. The material significantly boosted efficiency by promoting interspecies electron transfer in anaerobic sludge treatment systems.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science and Engineering
- Materials Science
- Microbiology
Background:
- Azo dyes are common pollutants in industrial wastewater, posing significant environmental challenges.
- Anaerobic sludge treatment is a viable method for wastewater remediation, but efficiency can be limited.
- Developing novel materials to enhance microbial activity in anaerobic systems is crucial for effective pollutant removal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize Fe3O4@hydrothermal carbon using rice straw waste.
- To evaluate the efficacy of Fe3O4@hydrothermal carbon as a redox mediator in anaerobic dye decolorization.
- To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the enhanced dye removal in the presence of the synthesized material.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of Fe3O4@hydrothermal carbon from rice straw.
- Electrochemical analysis using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).
- Anaerobic batch and semi-continuous reactor studies for azo dye decolorization.
- Analysis of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) formation, electron transport system (ETS) activity, and microbial community structure (high-throughput sequencing).
Main Results:
- Fe3O4@hydrothermal carbon exhibited rich redox-active centers, suitable for electron transfer.
- Azo dye decolorization efficiency reached 98.3% with the material, a 16.6% improvement over the control.
- The material demonstrated good reusability and significantly enhanced decolorization rates in semi-continuous treatment.
- Mechanistic studies revealed improved sludge stability, enhanced interspecies electron transfer, and enrichment of specific microbial taxa (e.g., *Megasphaera*, *Clostridium*).
Conclusions:
- Fe3O4@hydrothermal carbon effectively enhances anaerobic azo dye decolorization by facilitating interspecies electron transfer.
- The material promotes sludge stability and microbial activity, leading to superior wastewater treatment performance.
- This study presents a sustainable approach using waste-derived materials for advanced wastewater remediation.
Keywords:
Fe3O4@hydrothermal carbonazo dye decolorizationmaterial-mediated electron transfersludge electroactivity and structure“anaerobic sludge–material” combining systemMore Related Videos
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