Enhancing the production of reactive oxygen species in the rhizosphere to promote contaminants degradation in sediments by electrically strengthening microbial extracellular electron transfer

Abstract

The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the rhizosphere is limited by the low extracellular electron transfer capacity of indigenous microorganisms. In the present study, electrical stimulation was used to promote the generation of rhizospheric ROS by accelerating extracellular electron transfer. The result showed that •OH concentrations in the electrically stimulated group (ES group) exceeded the control group by 15.76 %. Accordingly, the removal rate of the target pollutant (i.e., 2,4-dichlorophenol, and sulfamethoxazole) was 20.01 %−24.80 % higher in the ES group than in the control group. The sediment of the ES group had a higher capacity (30.55 %) and a lower electrical resistance (29.15 %) compared to the control group, which subsequently promoted the dissimilatory iron reduction to produce Fe(II) for triggering a Fenton-like process. The increased extracellular respiratory capacity under electrical stimulation could be attributed to the polarization of C-N and CO bonds, which provided more electron storage sites and thus participated in proton-coupled electron transfer. In addition, the concentration of ATP and co-enzymes (NADH/NAD+ and Complex I/Complex III), reflecting electron exchange within respiratory chains, increased distinctly under electrical stimulation. Applying electrical stimulation seemed feasible to increase ROS production and contaminant degradation in the rhizosphere, deepening the understanding of electrical stimulation to promote the production of ROS in the natural system.