Bioelectrochemical single reactor for reductive and oxidative removal of trichloroethylene from contaminated groundwater

IF 2.7 4区生物学 Q3 BIOTECHNOLOGY & APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY

Journal of chemical technology and biotechnology Pub Date : 2026-10-09 Epub Date: 2026-02-06 DOI:10.1002/jctb.70147

Maria Presutti, Geremia Sassetto, Angela Marchetti, Giulia Simonetti, Marco Petrangeli Papini, Marco Zeppilli

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene (TCE) are persistent groundwater contaminants due to improper disposal and low biodegradability. This work presents an innovative bioelectrochemical system for the integrated reductive/oxidative removal of TCE from contaminated water, implemented in a single tubular reactor. Unlike previous approaches relying on sequential reactor configurations, this study optimizes a three-electrode setup that enables both anaerobic and aerobic dechlorination processes to occur simultaneously within the same unit. The system features a mixed metal oxide (MMO) anode that facilitates oxygen evolution and supports oxidative degradation, and a graphite cathode for TCE reduction under anaerobic conditions. The reactor's configuration promotes the coexistence of both anaerobic and aerobic microbial communities, enabling complete dechlorination of TCE and minimization of toxic by-products

RESULTS

After characterizing the system from a fluid-dynamic point of view, continuous-flow galvanostatic runs at +15, +30, and +20 mA achieved removal efficiencies above 97%. By-product profiles confirmed the progression toward full mineralization. The most effective performance was obtained at +30 mA, with a removal rate of 38.6 μmol/L d⁻¹. Coulombic efficiency and energy consumption were also evaluated, highlighting the feasibility of low-energy operation.

CONCLUSION

This single-reactor strategy represents a significant advancement in the design of compact and efficient systems for in situ groundwater remediation, reducing operational complexity while enhancing treatment performance. © 2026 The Author(s). Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

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生物电化学单反应器还原氧化去除污染地下水中的三氯乙烯

氯化脂肪烃如三氯乙烯（TCE）由于处置不当和生物降解性低而成为持久性地下水污染物。这项工作提出了一种创新的生物电化学系统，用于在单管式反应器中实现从污染水中综合还原/氧化去除TCE。与以往依赖顺序反应器配置的方法不同，本研究优化了三电极设置，使厌氧和好氧脱氯过程在同一单元内同时发生。该系统具有一个混合金属氧化物（MMO）阳极，促进氧气释放并支持氧化降解，以及一个石墨阴极，用于在厌氧条件下还原TCE。反应器的配置促进了厌氧和好氧微生物群落的共存，实现了TCE的完全脱氯和有毒副产物的最小化结果从流体动力学的角度对系统进行了表征后，在+15、+30和+20 mA的连续流恒流运行下，去除效率达到了97%以上。副产物剖面证实了向全矿化方向发展。在+30 mA条件下效果最佳，去除率为38.6 μmol/L d−1。同时对库仑效率和能耗进行了评价，强调了低能耗运行的可行性。这种单反应器策略代表了紧凑高效的地下水原位修复系统设计的重大进步，降低了操作复杂性，同时提高了处理性能。©2026作者。由John Wiley &； Sons Ltd代表美国化学工业学会（SCI）出版的化学技术与生物技术杂志。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of chemical technology and biotechnology 工程技术-工程：化工

CiteScore

7.00

自引率

5.90%

发文量

268

审稿时长

1.7 months

期刊介绍： Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology(JCTB) is an international, inter-disciplinary peer-reviewed journal concerned with the application of scientific discoveries and advancements in chemical and biological technology that aim towards economically and environmentally sustainable industrial processes.