Novel anaerobic selenium oxyanion reducers native to FGD wastewater for enhanced selenium removal

Sarkar, Preom; Beebe, Meghan; Bhandari, Gita; Wielinski, Jonas; Lowry, Gregory V.; Gulliver, Djuna

doi:10.1128/aem.01222-24

Novel anaerobic selenium oxyanion reducers native to FGD wastewater for enhanced selenium removal

Journal Article · Fri Mar 14 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.01222-24· OSTI ID:2533539

^[1]; Beebe, Meghan ^[2]; Bhandari, Gita ^[2]; Wielinski, Jonas ^[3]; Lowry, Gregory V. ^[3]; ^[4]

National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA (United States); NETL Support Contractor, Leidos, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA (United States); NETL Support Contractor, Leidos, Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

Biological treatment is a recognized approach for removing selenate and selenite oxyanions present in flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater. However, the knowledge of the specific microbial species or communities responsible for reducing water-soluble selenium oxyanions to insoluble elemental selenium remains limited. In addition, the selenium oxyanion reduction genes and pathways have yet to be understood in these wastewaters. This study characterizes selenium oxyanion-reducing bacteria (SeRB) native to FGD wastewater, and the resulting elemental selenium particles formed. By selecting native SeRB microbes in a defined media, a novel resolution of these organisms has been achieved. This research identifies previously unrecognized selenium oxyanion-reducing capabilities in Anaerosolibacter, alongside predominant SeRB from Mesobacillus and Tepidibacillus genera. This work encompasses both 16S and metagenomic techniques to recover novel metagenome-assembled genomes, distinct to this environment. The biogenic selenium produced by these organisms was predominantly of elemental selenium, either amorphous or with a hexagonal structure. This study identifies the SeRB present in FGD wastewater and characterizes their selenium products, offering crucial insights to enhance the efficiency of biological treatment strategies and the potential of selenium recovery from this industrial waste.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV, and Albany, OR (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM); Swiss National Science Foundation

OSTI ID:: 2533539

Journal Information:: Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Journal Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 91; ISSN 0099-2240

Publisher:: American Society for MicrobiologyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
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anaerobic
biogenic selenium
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selenium reduction
taxonomy
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water management

Novel anaerobic selenium oxyanion reducers native to FGD wastewater for enhanced selenium removal

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References (54)

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