Challenges and applications of nitrate-reducing microbial biocathodes

This review synthesizes current knowledge on nitrate-reducing biocathodes (NRB) for wastewater treatment within bioelectrochemical systems (BES). NRB offer promising nitrate removal rates (up to 1330 g N-NO₃⁻ m⁻³ day⁻¹ reported) compared to conventional methods like constructed wetlands and denitrifying bioreactors. However, NRB require specific environmental conditions—anaerobic settings, controlled pH, optimized polarization, and suitable electrode materials—and remain largely at laboratory scale. The review addresses fundamentals of microbial biocathodes, bacterial communities involved, denitrification intermediates, and coupled applications including nitrification and anammox.

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