Journal of water process engineering最新文献

{"title":"Dual effects of 660 nm LED lighting on pollutant removal and antibiotic resistance dynamics in constructed wetlands treating livestock wastewater","authors":"Chenshuai Ye,&nbsp;Qingwei Zhou,&nbsp;Meiqing Jin,&nbsp;Jia Du,&nbsp;Weihong Wu,&nbsp;Feng Li,&nbsp;Jianjun Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108732","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108732","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Livestock wastewater in developing regions is a major contributor to water quality degradation due to its high content of nitrogen, phosphorus, antibiotics, and heavy metals. Constructed wetlands (CWs) represent cost-effective and environmentally sustainable treatment systems, where plant–microbe interactions facilitate the simultaneous removal of multiple pollutants. However, the operational stability of CWs remains a critical challenge. Within these systems, plants play a central role, with light serving as a key determinant of their physiological and functional dynamics, thereby exerting significant influence on overall CW performance. This laboratory-scale investigation demonstrates that supplementation with 660 nm light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in vertical subsurface flow CWs synergistically enhances both pollutant removal efficiency and operational stability. Illuminated systems exhibited superior nitrogen and phosphorus removal as well as increased tetracycline degradation relative to non-illuminated controls. Photostimulation promoted enhanced growth of <em>Canna indica</em>, with greater plant height (61.8 cm vs. 45.2 cm) and stem diameter (4.35 cm vs. 3.34 cm), accompanied by 2.8–60.7 % higher enzymatic activity. Concurrently, microbial community restructuring enriched functional taxa such as <em>Pseudomonas</em> (8.65 %) and <em>Nitrospira</em> (2.48 %), fostering self-optimizing microbial consortia. Moreover, light supplementation mitigated the abundance of several antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), specifically <em>tetM</em>, <em>tetO</em>, and <em>tetW</em>, thereby lowering the associated ecological risks. Paradoxically, an increase in <em>tetQ</em> abundance was observed, likely attributable to biofilm-facilitated plasmid transfer. Collectively, these findings highlight light supplementation as a promising strategy to improve CW treatment performance and simultaneously reduce the potential dissemination of resistance genes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of water process engineering","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 108732"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145046838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insight into using a novel ultrasound followed by peracetic acid / ultraviolet disinfection system to inactivate microorganisms in sewage based on synergy and metagenomics","authors":"Zhi Zhang ,&nbsp;Yun Bai ,&nbsp;Ruiting Chang ,&nbsp;Xueli Hu ,&nbsp;Juanjuan Yao","doi":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108662","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108662","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>During the epidemic (<em>SARS-CoV-2</em> virus), although chlorination played a vital role in disinfecting sewage of isolated areas, excessive chlorine disinfectants also led to serious secondary pollution. In order to avoid secondary pollution caused by traditional disinfection, we constructed a sequential ultrasonic combined with peracetic acid/ultraviolet (US→PAA/UV) system to disinfect actual sewage. The result indicated that the US→PAA/UV had an excellent synergistic disinfection effect on coliform, reaching 2.78-log, which was higher than the sum of the reductions achieved by ultrasound (0.04-log), UV (1.93-log) and PAA (0.36-log). Furthermore, metagenomic sequencing showed that US→PAA/UV treatment could significantly reduce the relative abundance of opportunistic pathogens, specifically <em>Acinetobacter</em> (7.22 % to 5.61 %), <em>Moraxella</em> (7.11 % to 1.38 %) and <em>Cloacibacterium</em> (3.5 % to 1.68 %). This reduction was achieved by disrupting the normal expression of several functional genes (<em>TraI, LuxR, mqsR, lasR and galE</em>) involved in quorum sensing and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) secretion. In addition, the antibiotics resistance gene (ARGs) analysis based on CARD database found that the number of ARGs subtypes changed little, with 921 and 927, respectively, before and after US→PAA/UV. Overall, The results demonstrated that US→PAA/UV could not only effectively inactivate multiple pathogens but also pose no risk of increasing bacterial resistance, providing new insights for the emergency disinfection of raw sewage during public health emergencies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of water process engineering","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 108662"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145046825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhanced PMS activation via dual redox cycles in Fe2O3/VO2 bimetallic catalyst for efficient degradation of SCP","authors":"YaGe Chai ,&nbsp;Qiongfang Wang ,&nbsp;Xin Zhang ,&nbsp;Lei Dong ,&nbsp;Min Zhang ,&nbsp;Pinhua Rao ,&nbsp;Naiyun Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108602","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108602","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, limitation of Fe₂O₃ activity in peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation processes caused by the Fe²⁺/ Fe³⁺ redox cycle could be addressed by successfully preparing the bimetallic catalyst Fe₂O₃/<em>V</em>O₂ with introducing V. Fe₂O₃/VO₂ were synthesized using a solvothermal method and Fe/V molar ratios (X = 1, 2, 3) were regulated, in which optimal Fe/V ratio of 2:1 demonstrated superior PMS activation to efficiently degrade sulfachloropyridazine (SCP). The Fe₂O₃/VO₂/PMS system exhibited excellent catalytic performance across a wide pH range (3–9), achieving complete degradation of SCP with 0.25 mM PMS in 10 min. Anions (Cl⁻, NO₃⁻, H₂PO₄⁻, HPO₄²⁻, HCO₃⁻) and humic acid showed varying inhibitory effects on SCP oxidation. The Fe₂O₃/VO₂ catalytic system activates PMS through electron transfer from Fe²⁺/ V⁴⁺, simultaneously initiating both radical (SO₄<img>⁻ and OH<img>) and non-radical (primarily ¹O₂) pathways, whose synergistic effect enables highly efficient pollutant degradation. The synergistic effects of these ROS facilitated efficient antibiotic degradation, with ¹O₂ identified as the primary active species. Using HPLC-MS, 13 intermediate products were identified, and three degradation pathways were proposed. Ecotoxicity assessment indicated that most intermediates were significantly less toxic than SCP, confirming the Fe₂O₃/VO₂/PMS system's potential for wastewater remediation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of water process engineering","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 108602"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145046822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hydrothermal synthesis of Nd-doped TiO₂ nanostructures for photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline antibiotic under visible light","authors":"Rajalaxmi Nath ,&nbsp;Hirok Chaudhuri","doi":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108720","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108720","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present article reveals a novel study on the synthesis of several Nd-doped nanostructured mixed-phase (brookite, rutile, and anatase) TiO₂ photocatalysts using hydrothermal and sol-gel methods. For optimization, several samples with mixed-phase TiO₂ with different Nd doping concentrations were synthesized using hydrothermal treatment by varying reaction temperature, calcination temperature, and solution pH. Out of the ten synthesized samples, the T10 (T_R ∼ 190 °C, T_C ∼ 400 °C, pH ∼ 3.6 with 2.0 mol% Nd doping) showed an excellent photocatalytic degradation efficiency (99 % within 180 min) for the removal of tetracycline antibiotics in wastewater under 100 W visible light irradiation with catalyst dose of 0.1 g/L and solution pH ∼ 6.5 and tetracycline concentration of 10 ppm. The activity of T10 is also compared to the synthesized T0 (sol-gel), undoped TiO₂ (T1, hydrothermal), P25, and single-phase anatase TiO₂ (SA, solvothermal). The T10 gives 23.8 %, 28 %, 51 %, and 78.3 % higher removal efficiency than T0, T1, SA, and P25, respectively. The unique nature of T 10 (Nd doping with mixed phase, structural, morphological, optical, chemical, and thermal properties) was examined by XRD, SEM, TEM, UV–Vis, DR spectroscopy, PL, XPS, BET, FTIR, EPR, TGA-DTA, and electrochemical analysis. The TOC and COD removal efficiency was found to be 81 % and 85 % within 4 h in the T10 sample. Moreover, a non-toxic nature was observed from a toxicity analysis. The unique degradation mechanism was also described. Cost estimation and scalability of T10 have been discussed and compared with previous works. T10 also efficiently works for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of water process engineering","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 108720"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145046823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride by novel Se-doped Cu7.2S4/C photocatalyst from Cu-based MOF precursors","authors":"Haonan Zhang ,&nbsp;Bin Zhu ,&nbsp;Zhengyi Zhong ,&nbsp;Jun Xiong ,&nbsp;Chenxi Wang ,&nbsp;Donglou Ren","doi":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108724","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108724","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Se-doped Cu_7.2S₄/C (Cu-2Se5S), a visible light activated photocatalyst, was synthesized by combining selenization, sulfurization, and carbonization processes to treat the Cu-based metal-organic frameworks (Cu-BDC MOF), which was employed to remove tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl). Systematic analysis revealed that the Cu-2Se5S photocatalyst exhibited excellent crystallinity and superior conductivity, suggesting the substitution of S by Se. These advantages resulted in the outstanding photoelectric features with low carrier transport resistance (4000 Ω). Thus, after 60 min of irradiation with 0.5 g/L of Cu-2Se5S, the removal efficiency of TC-HCl (10 mg/L) was around 90 %. Moreover, the Cu-2Se5S photocatalyst exhibited an anti-interference ability for Cl⁻ and SO₄²⁻ anions for final efficiency. More importantly, the Cu-2Se5S could effectively degrade the sulfadiazine (SDZ), methylene blue (MB), and Rhodamine B (RhB) contaminants in water. The degradation of TC-HCl was caused by the •O₂⁻ and •OH radicals, with •O₂⁻ species playing the dominant role. Due to the excellent stability and reusability, the Cu-2Se5S photocatalyst is promising for the practical application in environmental remediation. This work may provide an alternative approach for synthesizing selenides and sulfides using MOFs precursors, which could efficiently remove antibiotics from wastewater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of water process engineering","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 108724"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145046836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rapid recovery of bisphenol A-inhibited anammox biofilm systems by exogenous AHLs addition","authors":"Shaopo Wang ,&nbsp;Ruimin Tian ,&nbsp;Yanmeng Bi ,&nbsp;Fansheng Meng ,&nbsp;Rui Zhang ,&nbsp;Chenchen Wang ,&nbsp;Dong Wang ,&nbsp;Lingjie Liu ,&nbsp;Xiangyu Zhang ,&nbsp;Xinpei Guan","doi":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108666","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108666","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the feasibility and underlying mechanisms of rapidly recovering anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) biofilm systems subjected to bisphenol A (BPA) stress through the addition of exogenous signal molecule. Two anammox biofilm reactors were employed, named R1 (control) and R2 (exogenous C6-HSL), respectively. After the long-term shock of BPA, R2 could achieve a total inorganic nitrogen removal efficiency more than 80 % within 6 days and maintained stable performance, whereas R1 required 12 days to reach a similar efficiency and exhibited operational instability. The specific anammox activity in R2 increased by 368.84 %, significantly outperforming the 118.95 % increase observed in R1. Furthermore, key enzyme activities in R2 exceeded their initial levels, with NIR, HZS, and HZO reaching 0.96, 1.79, and 3.19 U/g VSS, respectively. Metagenomic analysis revealed that exogenous C6-HSL would not influence the relative abundance of anammox bacteria, i.e., <em>Candidatus Brocadia</em>, while the relative abundance of functional genes, i.e., <em>nirS</em> and <em>nirK</em>, were enhanced. The underlying mechanism was associated with the accelerated conversion of NO_2^--N to NO, thereby effectively strengthening the anammox metabolic pathway. These findings provided insights into the role of quorum sensing in mediating anammox biofilm system performance in treating BPA-containing wastewater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of water process engineering","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 108666"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145046828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative formation and structural elucidation of diclofenac transformation products by chlorine and chlorine dioxide in the presence of aquatic humic substances (AHS) using LC-MS/MS","authors":"Eliane Sloboda Rigobello ,&nbsp;Flávia Aparecida Reitz Cardoso ,&nbsp;Bianca Ferreira da Silva ,&nbsp;Regina Vincenzi Oliveira ,&nbsp;Vitor Hugo Polisel Pacces ,&nbsp;Eny Maria Vieira","doi":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108731","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108731","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diclofenac (DCF), a widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, frequently occurs in surface and drinking water sources and has raised concerns due to its environmental persistence and potential toxicity. This study investigated the oxidative degradation of DCF and formation of transformation products (TPs) using chlorine (Cl₂) and chlorine dioxide (ClO₂), both in purified and synthetic waters containing aquatic humic substances (AHS), representative of tropical surface waters. Chlorine achieved &gt;90 % DCF removal within 12 h in purified water and &gt;80 % in synthetic water, generating a broader spectrum of TPs, including chlorinated, hydroxylated, and decarboxylated derivatives. In contrast, ClO₂, even at a low dose of 0.5 mg L⁻¹, removed &gt;99 % of DCF within 30 min in purified water and formed fewer TPs, suggesting a trade-off between oxidative efficiency and byproduct minimization. LC-MS/MS analysis enabled detailed structural elucidation of major TPs, with <em>m</em>/<em>z</em> values and fragmentation patterns supporting the identification of chlorinated and hydroxylated intermediates. The presence of AHS reduced DCF degradation rates while modulating TPs profiles, likely through competitive oxidant consumption and the formation of humic-bound conjugates. These findings underscore the importance of accounting for transformation products in water treatment design and highlight the need for ecotoxicological evaluation of TPs under tropical surface water conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of water process engineering","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 108731"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145046834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic Co-pyrolysis of Fenton sludge biochar for fluoride removal: Strategy optimization and cooperative adsorption mechanisms","authors":"Siqi Tong ,&nbsp;Lei Zhang ,&nbsp;Xuemin Yu ,&nbsp;Guangbing Liu ,&nbsp;Haibo Xu ,&nbsp;Weijing Liu ,&nbsp;Jinyou Shen ,&nbsp;Yi Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108717","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108717","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fluoride-containing wastewater posed significant environmental and health risks, and the high costs of current defluoridation adsorbents highlight the pressing need for cost-effective solutions. To achieve the advanced treatment of fluoride-containing wastewater and the resource utilization of solid waste, a pyrolytic-hydrothermal carbon adsorbent was developed from Fenton sludge (FS) and rice straw (RS). FS/RS-1:2BC, synthesized at 600 °C pyrolysis and 200 °C hydrothermal treatment with a 1:2 mass ratio, exhibited the highest fluoride ions (F⁻) adsorption capacity of 10.57 mg g⁻¹. Physicochemical characterization revealed FS/RS-1:2BC consisted of porous graphitic carbon from RS and α-Fe₂O₃ from FS, with abundant oxygen-containing groups and a large surface area for F⁻ adsorption. Adsorption kinetics and thermodynamic fitting indicated the adsorption of F⁻ was primarily relied on chemical interactions (chemical precipitation, ligand complexation, ion exchange, electrostatic attraction) between F⁻ and the homogeneous monolayer surface, with physical adsorption and intraparticle diffusion as secondary mechanisms. FS/RS-1:2BC exhibited excellent stability and applicability, with a broad pH acceptance range (pH 3.5–8). It maintained 9.58 mg g⁻¹ adsorption capacity under weakly alkaline and achieved around 90 % adsorption efficiency in coexisting anions. Regeneration experiments indicated that FS/RS-1:2BC retained 81.9 % adsorption capacity after five regeneration cycles. The development of FS/RS-1:2BC not only provided a cost-effective adsorbent for low-concentration fluoride removal from tailwater but also established a new approach for resource utilization of solid wastes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of water process engineering","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 108717"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145046809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Smartphone-assisted sensing platform based on S, Fe-doped carbon dots as efficient nano-enzyme for colorimetric detection of tetracycline in solution","authors":"Xinghao Liu ,&nbsp;Xinru Zhang ,&nbsp;Lingfei Ma ,&nbsp;Zhichao Wang ,&nbsp;Guohui Liu ,&nbsp;Zhaoguang Yang ,&nbsp;Zheng Xie","doi":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108698","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108698","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the real-time concentration levels of tetracycline (TC) in water environment was of great significance, which could avoid threats to ecological balance and human health. In this study, a colorimetric sensor based on S, Fe-doped carbon dot (S, Fe-doped CDs) was constructed for detection of TC. The S, Fe-doped CDs with excellent peroxidase-like activity were prepared <em>via</em> hydrothermal method, and they could catalyze H₂O₂ to generate hydroxyl radical (•OH) and superoxide radical (•O₂⁻). The presence of S and Fe elements in CDs provided multiple active sites for chromogenic substrates. The colorimetric sensor for TC detection demonstrated good linear relationship ranged from 6 to 100 μg/mL, limit detection of 36 ng/mL, and it possessed excellent selectivity in presence of metal ions and organics. Furthermore, the visual detection platform coupled smartphone were established, which enabled rapid and accurate detection of TC in various environmental conditions. This study demonstrated great potential in the rapid monitoring of environmental pollutants, and combining functional nanomaterials with mobile technology had opened up new avenues for real-time detection in resource-limited environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of water process engineering","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 108698"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145046839","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microwave-converted insect frass biochar as a high-performance anode for crude glycerol-powered microbial fuel cells","authors":"Shu-Hui Liu ,&nbsp;Wei-Jun Lai ,&nbsp;Chi-Wen Lin ,&nbsp;Hui Suan Ng","doi":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108738","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.108738","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growing scale of insect farming has led to the generation of large volumes of frass, which is often overlooked despite its potential for resource recovery. In this study, we developed a value-added pathway by converting mealworm frass into electroactive biochar via microwave-assisted pyrolysis (MAP), offering a rapid, energy-efficient alternative to conventional thermal treatment. The resulting biochar, rich in nitrogen and oxygen surface functionalities, was used to fabricate a novel anode for microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Electrochemical analysis revealed that the MAP-derived electrode exhibited excellent charge transfer performance (397.6 Ω) and high capacitance (0.29 F/g), significantly outperforming its conventionally pyrolyzed counterpart. When integrated into an MFC treating crude glycerol—a major by-product of biodiesel refining—the system achieved complete substrate removal (99.85 %) within four days and reached a peak power density of 5678 mW/m², outperforming standard carbon cloth anodes by over 70 %. Microbial profiling further indicated enhanced colonization of electroactive and glycerol-degrading microbes on the frass-based biochar. The enrichment of <em>Firmicutes</em> and <em>Desulfobacterota</em> enhanced the electrochemical activity of MFC1000W and effectively reduced the charge transfer resistance (452.9 Ω). <em>Bacteroides</em> contributed to the growth of various exoelectrogens and accelerated electron transfer. This work not only provides a sustainable route for insect frass valorization, but also demonstrates its functional potential in bioelectrochemical systems for waste-to-energy conversion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17528,"journal":{"name":"Journal of water process engineering","volume":"78 ","pages":"Article 108738"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145046826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}