Enhanced degradation of arsanilic acid and in situ recovery of inorganic arsenic in a two-stage bioelectrochemical process

Abstract

Arsanilic acid (p-ASA), an organoarsenic additive found in livestock wastewater, can release toxic inorganic arsenic into the environment. While bioelectrochemical systems have proven effective in decomposing organoarsenics, managing the resulting inorganic arsenic remains a challenge. This study demonstrated the feasibility of a two-stage bioelectrochemical process designed to facilitate p-ASA degradation and in situ recover inorganic arsenic from contaminated livestock wastewater. It consisted of two sequential stages: (I) anodic stimulation for p-ASA degradation and (II) reversing electrode polarities for the cathodic reduction of inorganic arsenic. In Stage I, the anode significantly enhanced the degradation of p-ASA, resulting in 18 μg/L of As(III) and 700 μg/L of As(V) released into the bulk solution. In Stage II, the cathode further reduced the As(III) and As(V) to 8.9 and 35.5 μg/L, respectively, through the synergistic action of the cathode and suspended microbes. The inorganic arsenic was recovered as a layer of As(V)-O on the cathode. Microbial analysis indicated that Alcaligenes was responsible for the degradation of p-ASA, while Anaerobacillus and Desulfitibacter played key roles in reducing As(V) and As(III) on the cathode, respectively. This study provided a promising alternative approach for the removal of organoarsenics and in situ recovery of inorganic arsenic from organoarsenic-bearing wastewater.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Anodic oxidation / Arsanilic acid / Bioelectrochemical system / Cathodic reduction / Inorganic arsenic

Highlight

	● A combined two-stage bioelectrochemical system was developed.
	● The anode significantly facilitated the degradation of p -ASA.
	● The inorganic arsenic was recovered as an As(V)-O deposit on the cathode.
	● The microbes functional for the two stages were identified.
	● The p -ASA degradation and arsenic recovery pathways were proposed.

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