A perspective on Bio-Electrochemical System (BES) as a tool for boosting the performance of the nonperforming anaerobic units

Anaerobic technologies (AT) offer a sustainable approach for harnessing energy during wastewater treatment. Despite their numerous advantages, significant challenges remain. Under stressful conditions, the accumulation of ammonia and Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) within AT can lead to a decline in its performance. One promising strategy to enhance the performance of sick anaerobic units is the introduction of Syntrophic Fatty Acid Oxidizing Bacteria (SFAOB), reinforcing the crucial partnership between SFAOB and hydrogenotrophic methanogenic (HM) organisms. However, isolating and enriching SFAOB populations is challenging due to thermodynamic limitations. To address this issue, Bio-electrochemical systems (BES) emerge as a valuable tool for SFAOB enrichment. BES can also play a vital role in removing dissolved ammonium from AT, preventing its toxic build-up within the system. This perspective primarily focuses on the role of BES in augmenting the performance of AT. Employing BES as a performance-enhancing solution holds promise for ensuring the sustainable recovery of impaired anaerobic units.