Cr(VI) reduction, electricity production, and microbial resistance variation in paddy soil under microbial fuel cell operation

<p>The microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an efficient in situ approach to combat pollutants and generate electricity. This study constructed a soil MFC (SMFC) to reduce Cr(VI) in paddy soil and to investigate its influence on microbial community and microbial resistance characteristics. Ferroferri...

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Main Authors: H. Niu, C. Wang, X. Luo, P. Li, H. Qiu, L. Jiang, S. Maimaitiaili, M. Wu, F. Xu, H. Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2025-04-01
Series:SOIL
Online Access:https://soil.copernicus.org/articles/11/323/2025/soil-11-323-2025.pdf
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author H. Niu
C. Wang
X. Luo
P. Li
H. Qiu
L. Jiang
S. Maimaitiaili
M. Wu
F. Xu
H. Xu
author_facet H. Niu
C. Wang
X. Luo
P. Li
H. Qiu
L. Jiang
S. Maimaitiaili
M. Wu
F. Xu
H. Xu
author_sort H. Niu
collection DOAJ
description <p>The microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an efficient in situ approach to combat pollutants and generate electricity. This study constructed a soil MFC (SMFC) to reduce Cr(VI) in paddy soil and to investigate its influence on microbial community and microbial resistance characteristics. Ferroferric oxide (<span class="inline-formula">Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub></span>) nanoparticles, as the cathodic catalyst, effectively boosted power generation (0.97 V, 102.00 <span class="inline-formula">mW m<sup>−2</sup></span>), with the porous structure and reducibility also contributing to chromium (Cr) reduction and immobilization. After 30 d, 93.67 % of Cr(VI) was eliminated. The bioavailable Cr decreased by 97.44 %, while the residual form increased by 88.89 %. SMFC operations greatly changed soil enzymatic activity and microbial structure, with exoelectrogens like <i>Desulfotomaculum</i> (3.32 % in the anode) and Cr(VI)-reducing bacteria like <i>Hydrogenophaga</i> (2.07 % in the cathode) in more than 1000 folds of soil. In particular, SMFC operations significantly enhanced heavy-metal resistance gene (HRG) abundance. Among them, <i>chrA</i>, <i>chrB</i>, and <i>chrR</i> increased by 99.54 %–3314.34 % in SMFC anodes, probably attributable to the enrichment of potential tolerators like <i>Acinetobacter</i>, <i>Limnohabitans</i>, and <i>Desulfotomaculum</i>. These key taxa were positively correlated with HRGs but were negatively correlated with pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and Cr(VI), which could have driven Cr(VI) reduction. This study provided novel evidence for bio-electrochemical system applications in contaminated paddy soil, which could be a potential approach for environmental remediation and detoxification.</p>
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issn 2199-3971
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publishDate 2025-04-01
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spelling doaj-art-1003d34cf88d479ebb0ccb722c8eb0fc2025-08-20T03:53:43ZengCopernicus PublicationsSOIL2199-39712199-398X2025-04-011132333810.5194/soil-11-323-2025Cr(VI) reduction, electricity production, and microbial resistance variation in paddy soil under microbial fuel cell operationH. Niu0C. Wang1X. Luo2P. Li3H. Qiu4L. Jiang5S. Maimaitiaili6M. Wu7F. Xu8H. Xu9Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, Sichuan, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, College of Ecology and Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, Sichuan, ChinaSichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, Sichuan, ChinaSichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, Sichuan, ChinaSichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, Sichuan, ChinaSichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, Sichuan, ChinaSichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, Sichuan, ChinaSichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, Sichuan, ChinaKey Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, ChinaKey Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, China<p>The microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an efficient in situ approach to combat pollutants and generate electricity. This study constructed a soil MFC (SMFC) to reduce Cr(VI) in paddy soil and to investigate its influence on microbial community and microbial resistance characteristics. Ferroferric oxide (<span class="inline-formula">Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub></span>) nanoparticles, as the cathodic catalyst, effectively boosted power generation (0.97 V, 102.00 <span class="inline-formula">mW m<sup>−2</sup></span>), with the porous structure and reducibility also contributing to chromium (Cr) reduction and immobilization. After 30 d, 93.67 % of Cr(VI) was eliminated. The bioavailable Cr decreased by 97.44 %, while the residual form increased by 88.89 %. SMFC operations greatly changed soil enzymatic activity and microbial structure, with exoelectrogens like <i>Desulfotomaculum</i> (3.32 % in the anode) and Cr(VI)-reducing bacteria like <i>Hydrogenophaga</i> (2.07 % in the cathode) in more than 1000 folds of soil. In particular, SMFC operations significantly enhanced heavy-metal resistance gene (HRG) abundance. Among them, <i>chrA</i>, <i>chrB</i>, and <i>chrR</i> increased by 99.54 %–3314.34 % in SMFC anodes, probably attributable to the enrichment of potential tolerators like <i>Acinetobacter</i>, <i>Limnohabitans</i>, and <i>Desulfotomaculum</i>. These key taxa were positively correlated with HRGs but were negatively correlated with pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and Cr(VI), which could have driven Cr(VI) reduction. This study provided novel evidence for bio-electrochemical system applications in contaminated paddy soil, which could be a potential approach for environmental remediation and detoxification.</p>https://soil.copernicus.org/articles/11/323/2025/soil-11-323-2025.pdf
spellingShingle H. Niu
C. Wang
X. Luo
P. Li
H. Qiu
L. Jiang
S. Maimaitiaili
M. Wu
F. Xu
H. Xu
Cr(VI) reduction, electricity production, and microbial resistance variation in paddy soil under microbial fuel cell operation
SOIL
title Cr(VI) reduction, electricity production, and microbial resistance variation in paddy soil under microbial fuel cell operation
title_full Cr(VI) reduction, electricity production, and microbial resistance variation in paddy soil under microbial fuel cell operation
title_fullStr Cr(VI) reduction, electricity production, and microbial resistance variation in paddy soil under microbial fuel cell operation
title_full_unstemmed Cr(VI) reduction, electricity production, and microbial resistance variation in paddy soil under microbial fuel cell operation
title_short Cr(VI) reduction, electricity production, and microbial resistance variation in paddy soil under microbial fuel cell operation
title_sort cr vi reduction electricity production and microbial resistance variation in paddy soil under microbial fuel cell operation
url https://soil.copernicus.org/articles/11/323/2025/soil-11-323-2025.pdf
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