Long-term effect of polyethylene microplastics on the bioelectrochemical nitrogen removal process

Nitrogen pollution in wastewater has been considered a worldwide risk to ecosystems. Bioelectrochemical technologies have developed recently remove nitrogen. In addition nitrogen, microplastics, as emergency pollutants wastewater, could potentially affect nitrogen removal efficiency due their toxic effects on the activity of microorganisms. This study explored how microplastics would influence bioelectrochemical process. It was found that declined following microplastic during long-term exposure experiment. With biofilm viability and content EPS significantly. Microbial community structure shifted significantly microplastics. As most abundant genera denitrifier, Thiobacillus shrank largely with Moreover, reduction total abundance denitrification bacteria denitrification-related functional genes also observed. The results unveil mechanisms inhibit offer insights into application from rich microplastic.