Salinity-driven nitrogen removal and bacteria community compositions in microbial fuel cell–integrated constructed wetlands

The effects of salinity gradients (500–4000 mg·L−1 NaCl) on electricity generation, nitrogen removal, and microbial community were investigated in a constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell (CW-MFC) system. The result showed that power density significantly increased from 7.77 mW m−2 to a peak of 34.27 mW m−2 as salinity rose, indicating enhanced electron transfer capabilities under saline conditions. At a moderate salinity level of 2000 mg·L−1 NaCl, the removal efficiencies of NH4+–N and TN reached their maximum at 77.34 ± 7.61% and 48.45 ± 8.14%, respectively. This could be attributed to increased microbial activity and the presence of critical nitrogen-removal organisms, such as Nitrospira and unclassified Betaproteobacteria at the anode, as well as Bacillus, unclassified Rhizobiales, Sphingobium, and Simplicispira at the cathode. Additionally, this salinity corresponded with the highest abundance of Exiguobacterium (3.92%), a potential electrogenic bacterium, particularly at the cathode. Other microorganisms, including Geobacter, unclassified Planctomycetaceae, and Thauera, adapted well to elevated salinity, thereby enhancing both electricity generation and nitrogen removal. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2024.