TY - JOUR
T1 - Groundwater electro-bioremediation via diffuse electro-conductive zones
T2 - A critical review
AU - Aulenta, Federico
AU - Tucci, Matteo
AU - Cruz Viggi, Carolina
AU - Milia, Stefano
AU - Hosseini, Seyedmehdi
AU - Farru, Gianluigi
AU - Sethi, Rajandrea
AU - Bianco, Carlo
AU - Tosco, Tiziana
AU - Ioannidis, Marios
AU - Zanaroli, Giulio
AU - Ruffo, Riccardo
AU - Santoro, Carlo
AU - Marzocchi, Ugo
AU - Cassiani, Giorgio
AU - Peruzzo, Luca
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors
PY - 2025/1
Y1 - 2025/1
N2 - Microbial electrochemical technologies (MET) can remove a variety of organic and inorganic pollutants from contaminated groundwater. However, despite significant laboratory-scale successes over the past decade, field-scale applications remain limited. We hypothesize that enhancing the electrochemical conductivity of the soil surrounding electrodes could be a groundbreaking and cost-effective alternative to deploying numerous high-surface-area electrodes in short distances. This could be achieved by injecting environmentally safe iron- or carbon-based conductive (nano)particles into the aquifer. Upon transport and deposition onto soil grains, these particles create an electrically conductive zone that can be exploited to control and fine-tune the delivery of electron donors or acceptors over large distances, thereby driving the process more efficiently. Beyond extending the radius of influence of electrodes, these diffuse electro-conductive zones (DECZ) could also promote the development of syntrophic anaerobic communities that degrade contaminants via direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET). In this review, we present the state-of-the-art in applying conductive materials for MET and DIET-based applications. We also provide a comprehensive overview of the physicochemical properties of candidate electrochemically conductive materials and related injection strategies suitable for field-scale implementation. Finally, we illustrate and critically discuss current and prospective electrochemical and geophysical methods for measuring soil electronic conductivity—both in the laboratory and in the field—before and after injection practices, which are crucial for determining the extent of DECZ. This review article provides critical information for a robust design and in situ implementation of groundwater electro-bioremediation processes.
AB - Microbial electrochemical technologies (MET) can remove a variety of organic and inorganic pollutants from contaminated groundwater. However, despite significant laboratory-scale successes over the past decade, field-scale applications remain limited. We hypothesize that enhancing the electrochemical conductivity of the soil surrounding electrodes could be a groundbreaking and cost-effective alternative to deploying numerous high-surface-area electrodes in short distances. This could be achieved by injecting environmentally safe iron- or carbon-based conductive (nano)particles into the aquifer. Upon transport and deposition onto soil grains, these particles create an electrically conductive zone that can be exploited to control and fine-tune the delivery of electron donors or acceptors over large distances, thereby driving the process more efficiently. Beyond extending the radius of influence of electrodes, these diffuse electro-conductive zones (DECZ) could also promote the development of syntrophic anaerobic communities that degrade contaminants via direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET). In this review, we present the state-of-the-art in applying conductive materials for MET and DIET-based applications. We also provide a comprehensive overview of the physicochemical properties of candidate electrochemically conductive materials and related injection strategies suitable for field-scale implementation. Finally, we illustrate and critically discuss current and prospective electrochemical and geophysical methods for measuring soil electronic conductivity—both in the laboratory and in the field—before and after injection practices, which are crucial for determining the extent of DECZ. This review article provides critical information for a robust design and in situ implementation of groundwater electro-bioremediation processes.
KW - DIET-based bioremediation
KW - Diffuse electro-conductive zone
KW - Electro-bioremediation
KW - Geophysical methods
KW - Radius of influence
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85210688746&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ese.2024.100516
DO - 10.1016/j.ese.2024.100516
M3 - Review
C2 - 39703569
AN - SCOPUS:85210688746
SN - 2666-4984
VL - 23
JO - Environmental Science and Ecotechnology
JF - Environmental Science and Ecotechnology
M1 - 100516
ER -