Novel application of magnetic nano-carbon composite as redox mediator in the reductive biodegradation of iopromide in anaerobic continuous systems.

The redox-mediating capacity of magnetic reduced graphene oxide nanosacks (MNS) to promote the reductive biodegradation of the halogenated pollutant, iopromide (IOP), was tested. Experiments were performed using glucose as electron donor in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor under methanogenic conditions. Higher removal efficiency of IOP in the UASB reactor supplied with MNS as redox mediator was observed as compared with the control reactor lacking MNS. Results showed 82% of IOP removal efficiency under steady state conditions in the UASB reactor enriched with MNS, while the reactor control showed IOP removal efficiency of 51%. The precise microbial transformation pathway of IOP was elucidated by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectroscopy (HPLC-MS) analysis. Biotransformation by-products with lower molecular weight than IOP molecule were identified in the reactor supplied with MNS, which were not detected in the reactor control, indicating the contribution of these magnetic nano-carbon composites in the redox conversion of this halogenated pollutant. Reductive reactions of IOP favored by MNS led to complete dehalogenation of the benzene ring and partial rupture of side chains of this pollutant, which is the first step towards its complete biodegradation. Possible reductive mechanisms that took place in the biodegradation of IOP were stated. Finally, the novel and successful application of magnetic graphene composites in a continuous bioreactor to enhance the microbial transformation of IOP was demonstrated.