Enhanced Oilfield-Produced-Water Treatment Using Fe<sup>3+</sup>-Augmented Composite Bioreactor: Performance and Microbial Community Dynamics
The presence of recalcitrant organic compounds in oilfield-produced-water poses significant challenges for conventional biological treatment technologies. In this study, an Fe<sup>3+</sup>-augmented composite bioreactor was developed to enhance the multi-pollutant removal performance and...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Bioengineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/12/7/784 |
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| Summary: | The presence of recalcitrant organic compounds in oilfield-produced-water poses significant challenges for conventional biological treatment technologies. In this study, an Fe<sup>3+</sup>-augmented composite bioreactor was developed to enhance the multi-pollutant removal performance and to elucidate the associated microbial community dynamics. The Fe<sup>3+</sup>-augmented system achieved efficient removal of oil (99.18 ± 0.91%), suspended solids (65.81 ± 17.55%), chemical oxygen demand (48.63 ± 15.15%), and polymers (57.72 ± 14.87%). The anaerobic compartment served as the core biotreatment unit, playing a pivotal role in microbial pollutant degradation. High-throughput sequencing indicated that Fe<sup>3+</sup> supplementation strengthened syntrophic interactions between iron-reducing bacteria (<i>Trichococcus</i> and <i>Bacillus</i>) and methanogenic archaea (<i>Methanobacterium</i> and <i>Methanomethylovorans</i>), thereby facilitating the biodegradation of long-chain hydrocarbons (e.g., eicosane and nonadecane). Further metabolic function analysis identified long-chain-fatty-acid CoA ligase (EC 6.2.1.3) as a key enzyme mediating the interplay between hydrocarbon degradation and nitrogen cycling. This study elucidated the ecological mechanisms governing Fe<sup>3+</sup>-mediated multi-pollutant removal in a composite bioreactor and highlighted the potential of this approach for efficient, sustainable, and adaptable management of produced water in the petroleum industry. |
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| ISSN: | 2306-5354 |