Development of cold-climate bioelectrochemical wastewater treatment systems

这项研究提出了一种新的方法，以促进对生物电化学系统(BESS)在加拿大的废水处理的知识。它将涉及(A)使用最先进的表征技术检查污染物在生物电化学处理中的利用和转化，以及(B)开发适用于加拿大寒冷气候的下一代废水处理技术。虽然在过去的二十年里，BES在废水处理方面取得了一些进展，但由于微生物能量学、温度控制和基质可用性方面的相关限制，BES在可行的实施和工程应用方面仍有许多需要改进的地方。这项研究的目标是开发创新的BES技术，用于寒冷气候下的替代废水处理，涉及微生物燃料和电解槽。这需要(A)评估新出现的和有毒的有机污染物对BES生物膜的生物利用度、转化和去除，(B)根据所揭示的机制开发高效的冷气候生物降解方法，以及(C)将开发的BES技术应用于加拿大社区的原位处理。具体而言，将通过研究化学键的相关变化来研究分子水平上的污染物转化。将开发基于同步加速器的原位分析方法，以揭示在加拿大光源的北京谱仪中存在的化合物的高分辨率化学结构。基于同步加速器的傅里叶变换红外技术将建立分析BES中有机污染物的方法，通过光谱分析揭示相关的化学键。将通过培养在寒冷气候下保持良好反应速度的嗜冷生物膜来培育先进的微生物群落。基于同步加速器的研究将支持创新生物电极材料的开发，以增强电子传递，延长耐用性，并提高寒冷气候下的处理效率。将通过多因素分析评估环境和操作因素对BES性能的影响及其相互作用关系，以便更好地了解相关的微生物和生物物理机制。本研究为BES处理废水提供了一种新的途径。将在分子水平上调查污染物的利用和转化，以促进对污染物清除过程中相关物理和生物过程的深入了解。所揭示的机制将有助于设计低成本的处理技术，将资源回收作为补充现有方法的替代办法。开发的BES将有助于显著提高加拿大寒冷气候条件下的废水处理效率。

This research presents a novel approach to advance knowledge of bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) for wastewater treatment in Canada. It will involve (a) examining the utilization and transformation of contaminants in bioelectrochemical treatment using state-of-the-art characterization technologies, and (b) developing next-generation wastewater treatment technologies for applications under cold Canadian climate. While there were advances in BES for wastewater treatment in the last two decades, there is yet much to be improved towards their viable implementation and engineering application, due to the associated limitations in microbial energetics, temperature control, and substrate availability. The objective of this research is to develop innovative BES technologies for alternative wastewater treatment under cold climate, involving microbial fuel and electrolysis cells. This entails (a) assessing the bioavailability, transformation, and removal of emerging and toxic organic contaminants to BES biofilms, (b) developing high-performance cold-climate biodegradation methods based on the revealed mechanisms, and (c) applying the developed BES technologies for in-situ treatment in Canadian communities. In detail, contaminant transformation at a molecular level will be examined through investigation of the relevant variations in chemical bonds. In-situ synchrotron-based analysis methods will be developed for revealing high-resolution chemical structures of compounds present in BES at the Canadian Light Source. Approaches for analyzing organic contaminants in BES will be established through synchrotron-based Fourier transform infrared technology where the related chemical bonds will be revealed through spectra analysis. Advanced microbial communities will be engineered through cultivation of psychrophilic biofilms that maintain favourable reaction rates under cold climate. The synchrotron-based research will support the development of innovative bioelectrode materials for enhancing electron transfer, extending durability, and improving treatment efficiency under cold climates. The effects of environmental and operational factors on the performance of BES, as well as their interactive relationships, will be evaluated through multi-factorial analysis, such that improved insight of the related microbiological and biophysical mechanisms will be obtained. This research presents a novel approach for wastewater treatment through BES. The utilization and transformation of contaminants will be investigated at a molecular level to advance insight of the related physical and biological processes during contaminant removal. The revealed mechanisms will aid in the design of low-cost treatment technologies with resource recovery as alternatives to supplement the existing approaches. The developed BES will help significantly improve the wastewater treatment efficiency under cold Canadian climatic conditions.