Efficient nitrate and Cr(VI) removal by denitrifier: The mechanism of S. oneidensis MR-1 promoting electron production, transportation and consumption

When Cr(VI) and nitrate coexist, the efficiency of both bio-denitrification and Cr(VI) bio-reduction is poor because chromate hinders bacterial normal functions (i.e., electron production, transportation and consumption). Moreover, under anaerobic condition, the method about efficient nitrate and Cr(VI) removal remained unclear. In this paper, the addition of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 to promote the electron production, transportation and consumption of denitrifier and cause an increase in the removal of nitrate and Cr(VI). The efficiency of nitrate and Cr(VI) removal accomplished by P. denitrificans as a used model denitrifier increased respectively from 51.3% to 96.1% and 34.3% to 99.8% after S. oneidensis MR-1 addition. The mechanism investigations revealed that P. denitrificans provided S. oneidensis MR-1 with lactate, which was utilized to secreted riboflavin and phenazine by S. oneidensis MR-1. The riboflavin served as coenzymes of cellular reductants (i.e., thioredoxin and glutathione) in P. denitrificans, which created favorable intracellular microenvironment conditions for electron generation. Meanwhile, phenazine promoted biofilm formation, which increased the adsorption of Cr(VI) on the cell surface and accelerated the Cr(VI) reduction by membrane bound chromate reductases thereby reducing damage to other enzymes respectively. Overall, this strategy reduced the negative effect of chromate, thus improved the generation, transportation, and consumption of electrons. The presence of S. oneidensis MR-1 facilitated nitrate and Cr(VI) removal by P. denitrificans through decreasing the negative effect of chromate due to the metabolites’ secretion. [Display omitted] •The presence of S. oneidensis MR-1 facilitated nitrate and Cr(VI) removal by P. denitrificans.•The addition of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 significantly promoted the electron production, transportation and consumption of denitrifier.•S. oneidensis MR-1 decreased the negative effect of chromate by upregulating biofilm formation and cellular reductants biosynthesis of P. denitrificans•The upregulation of biofilm formation and cellular reductants biosynthesis of P. denitrificans was due to the metabolites’ secretion by S. oneidensis MR-1.