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Applied Sciences
Volume 16
Issue 7
10.3390/app16073361
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Role of Inter-Circulation on Performance and Microbial Community of Bioelectromethanogenesis

by
Pei Xu
1,2,†,
Zhi-Dao Quan
3,†,
Yu-Guo Zhang
1,2,
Hou-Yun Yang
3,*,
Wei-Hua Li
3 and
Xian-Huai Huang
3
1
Center for Environmental Remediation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
2
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
3
Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Anhui Jianzhu University, Hefei 230601, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(7), 3361; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16073361
Submission received: 2 March 2026 / Revised: 23 March 2026 / Accepted: 26 March 2026 / Published: 30 March 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Chemical and Molecular Sciences)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Bioelectromethanogenesis, the microbial conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into methane (CH4) using a cathode, offers a promising route for biogas upgrading and renewable energy storage. The flow field is an essential factor influencing the performance of bioelectromethanogenesis, and the stability and efficiency of the biocathode play important roles in this process. This study systematically investigated the effect of different internal-circulation flow rates on the biocathode initiated without the electric field and the reactor effluent. It was found that the methane production of the biocathode initiated without the electric field was increased by around 30% at an internal-circulation flow rate of 18 mL/min, which was stronger than that of the biocathode initiated by the reactor effluent. The relative content of the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) heme was increased by 4%, while the EPS electron accepting capacity was much higher than that initiated by reactor effluent. Furthermore, the microbial community analysis showed that the functional methanogen on the biocathode initiated without an electric field was Methanosaeta (17%) and Methanobacterium (8%). This study could provide support for the dynamic operation of biogas upgrading in microbial electrolysis cells.
Keywords: inter-circulation; biocathode; bioelectromethanogenesis; methane production; microbial community inter-circulation; biocathode; bioelectromethanogenesis; methane production; microbial community

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Xu, P.; Quan, Z.-D.; Zhang, Y.-G.; Yang, H.-Y.; Li, W.-H.; Huang, X.-H. Role of Inter-Circulation on Performance and Microbial Community of Bioelectromethanogenesis. Appl. Sci. 2026, 16, 3361. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16073361

AMA Style

Xu P, Quan Z-D, Zhang Y-G, Yang H-Y, Li W-H, Huang X-H. Role of Inter-Circulation on Performance and Microbial Community of Bioelectromethanogenesis. Applied Sciences. 2026; 16(7):3361. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16073361

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xu, Pei, Zhi-Dao Quan, Yu-Guo Zhang, Hou-Yun Yang, Wei-Hua Li, and Xian-Huai Huang. 2026. "Role of Inter-Circulation on Performance and Microbial Community of Bioelectromethanogenesis" Applied Sciences 16, no. 7: 3361. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16073361

APA Style

Xu, P., Quan, Z.-D., Zhang, Y.-G., Yang, H.-Y., Li, W.-H., & Huang, X.-H. (2026). Role of Inter-Circulation on Performance and Microbial Community of Bioelectromethanogenesis. Applied Sciences, 16(7), 3361. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16073361

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