Pva-Sa-Maifanite Activator Toward Robust Sulfate Reduction in Challenging Environments

Abstract

The increasing sulfate content has become a burgeoning global water environmental issue. Enhancing the environmental adaptability and robustness of microbial sulfate reduction is crucial for developing efficient and reliable sulfate removal technologies. This study leverages the characteristics of the Maifanite trace element slow-release repository, along with the microbial adhesion protective function of Polyvinyl Alcohol-Sodium Alginate (PVA-SA), with the aim of developing a novel composite material—Polyvinyl Alcohol-Sodium Alginate-Maifanite (PVA-SA-MA). This material is designed to enhance the environmental adaptability of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria (SRB) by concurrently providing active substances and adhesion sites, thereby improving sulfate removal efficiency under adverse conditions. The composite's impact was evaluated under various environmental conditions including pH, C/S ratio, salinity, and temperature variations. Results indicate that, compared to the addition of maifanite alone, PVA-SA-MA significantly enhances the robustness of SRB to environmental changes. PVA-SA-MA successfully promoted microbial activity, reduced microbial death, and increased microbial load. Under test conditions, PVA-SA-MA increased the sulfate reduction rate by 5.6-fold, with the highest reduction efficiency reaching up to 11.4-fold. Moreover, PVA-SA-MA promoted the growth of fermentative microorganisms, suggesting enhanced microbial community synergy. This study reveals that providing attachment sites, supplementing active stimulants, and enhancing microbial community synergy are the main mechanisms by which PVA-SA-MA improves SRB performance. These findings not only deepen our theoretical understanding of microbe-material interactions but also provide new insights into the application of maifanite for treating sulfate wastewater in challenging environment.

Keywords: Sulfate-reducing bacteria, PVA-SA, Maifanite, Microbial activity, Attachment sites