Tailoring microbial redox with alternating current for efficient mineralization of refractory organic nitrogen compounds in wastewater

Ye Yuan; Xucui Qian; Lulu Zhang; Wanxin Yin; Tianming Chen; Zhaoxia Li; Cheng Ding; Bo Wang; Bin Liang; Aijie Wang; Yang Liu; Fan Chen

doi:10.1038/s41545-025-00439-5

Tailoring microbial redox with alternating current for efficient mineralization of refractory organic nitrogen compounds in wastewater

Ye Yuan, Xucui Qian, Lulu Zhang, Wanxin Yin, Tianming Chen, Zhaoxia Li, Cheng Ding, Bo Wang, Bin Liang, Aijie Wang, Yang Liu^*, Fan Chen^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Traditional biological wastewater treatment struggles to efficiently remove refractory organic nitrogen compounds (RONCs). This study demonstrates the potential of alternating current (AC)-driven bioelectrodes for deep mineralization of nitrobenzene (NB) by coupling in situ reduction and oxidation reactions. Sine-wave AC bioelectrodes overcome the limitations of direct current (DC) systems, achieving 97.6% NB reduction, 90.9% intermediate mineralization, and 80.8% total nitrogen removal while reducing energy consumption by 22.3%. AC stimulation enhances biofilm formation and bidirectional electrocatalytic activity, leading to higher biomass and electron utilization efficiency. Multi-omics analysis shows enrichment of functional microbial consortia involved in NB reduction, aromatic compound oxidation, ammonia oxidation, nitrate/nitrite reduction, and electron transfer, with upregulated enzyme gene expression. Carbon metabolites from catechol meta-cleavage support nitro-reduction, denitrification, and cell viability without external carbon sources. Nitrification-denitrification is the primary pathway for inorganic nitrogen removal. This AC bioelectrode offers an efficient, low-carbon solution for RONC mineralization in wastewater.

Original language	English
Article number	4
Journal	npj Clean Water
Volume	8
Issue	1
ISSN	2059-7037
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-025-00439-5
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025

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title = "Tailoring microbial redox with alternating current for efficient mineralization of refractory organic nitrogen compounds in wastewater",

abstract = "Traditional biological wastewater treatment struggles to efficiently remove refractory organic nitrogen compounds (RONCs). This study demonstrates the potential of alternating current (AC)-driven bioelectrodes for deep mineralization of nitrobenzene (NB) by coupling in situ reduction and oxidation reactions. Sine-wave AC bioelectrodes overcome the limitations of direct current (DC) systems, achieving 97.6% NB reduction, 90.9% intermediate mineralization, and 80.8% total nitrogen removal while reducing energy consumption by 22.3%. AC stimulation enhances biofilm formation and bidirectional electrocatalytic activity, leading to higher biomass and electron utilization efficiency. Multi-omics analysis shows enrichment of functional microbial consortia involved in NB reduction, aromatic compound oxidation, ammonia oxidation, nitrate/nitrite reduction, and electron transfer, with upregulated enzyme gene expression. Carbon metabolites from catechol meta-cleavage support nitro-reduction, denitrification, and cell viability without external carbon sources. Nitrification-denitrification is the primary pathway for inorganic nitrogen removal. This AC bioelectrode offers an efficient, low-carbon solution for RONC mineralization in wastewater.",

author = "Ye Yuan and Xucui Qian and Lulu Zhang and Wanxin Yin and Tianming Chen and Zhaoxia Li and Cheng Ding and Bo Wang and Bin Liang and Aijie Wang and Yang Liu and Fan Chen",

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year = "2025",

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doi = "10.1038/s41545-025-00439-5",

language = "English",

volume = "8",

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Tailoring microbial redox with alternating current for efficient mineralization of refractory organic nitrogen compounds in wastewater. / Yuan, Ye; Qian, Xucui; Zhang, Lulu et al.
In: npj Clean Water, Vol. 8, No. 1, 4, 12.2025.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Tailoring microbial redox with alternating current for efficient mineralization of refractory organic nitrogen compounds in wastewater

AU - Yuan, Ye

AU - Qian, Xucui

AU - Zhang, Lulu

AU - Yin, Wanxin

AU - Chen, Tianming

AU - Li, Zhaoxia

AU - Ding, Cheng

AU - Wang, Bo

AU - Liang, Bin

AU - Wang, Aijie

AU - Liu, Yang

AU - Chen, Fan

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Traditional biological wastewater treatment struggles to efficiently remove refractory organic nitrogen compounds (RONCs). This study demonstrates the potential of alternating current (AC)-driven bioelectrodes for deep mineralization of nitrobenzene (NB) by coupling in situ reduction and oxidation reactions. Sine-wave AC bioelectrodes overcome the limitations of direct current (DC) systems, achieving 97.6% NB reduction, 90.9% intermediate mineralization, and 80.8% total nitrogen removal while reducing energy consumption by 22.3%. AC stimulation enhances biofilm formation and bidirectional electrocatalytic activity, leading to higher biomass and electron utilization efficiency. Multi-omics analysis shows enrichment of functional microbial consortia involved in NB reduction, aromatic compound oxidation, ammonia oxidation, nitrate/nitrite reduction, and electron transfer, with upregulated enzyme gene expression. Carbon metabolites from catechol meta-cleavage support nitro-reduction, denitrification, and cell viability without external carbon sources. Nitrification-denitrification is the primary pathway for inorganic nitrogen removal. This AC bioelectrode offers an efficient, low-carbon solution for RONC mineralization in wastewater.

AB - Traditional biological wastewater treatment struggles to efficiently remove refractory organic nitrogen compounds (RONCs). This study demonstrates the potential of alternating current (AC)-driven bioelectrodes for deep mineralization of nitrobenzene (NB) by coupling in situ reduction and oxidation reactions. Sine-wave AC bioelectrodes overcome the limitations of direct current (DC) systems, achieving 97.6% NB reduction, 90.9% intermediate mineralization, and 80.8% total nitrogen removal while reducing energy consumption by 22.3%. AC stimulation enhances biofilm formation and bidirectional electrocatalytic activity, leading to higher biomass and electron utilization efficiency. Multi-omics analysis shows enrichment of functional microbial consortia involved in NB reduction, aromatic compound oxidation, ammonia oxidation, nitrate/nitrite reduction, and electron transfer, with upregulated enzyme gene expression. Carbon metabolites from catechol meta-cleavage support nitro-reduction, denitrification, and cell viability without external carbon sources. Nitrification-denitrification is the primary pathway for inorganic nitrogen removal. This AC bioelectrode offers an efficient, low-carbon solution for RONC mineralization in wastewater.

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DO - 10.1038/s41545-025-00439-5

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SN - 2059-7037

VL - 8

JO - npj Clean Water

JF - npj Clean Water

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ER -

Tailoring microbial redox with alternating current for efficient mineralization of refractory organic nitrogen compounds in wastewater

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