The Emergence of Extracellular Electron Mediating Functionality in Rice Straw-Artificial Soil Mixture during Humification

Tingting Hu, Duyen Minh Pham, Takuya Kasai and Arata Katayama ()
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Tingting Hu: Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Tokai National Higher Education and Research System, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
Duyen Minh Pham: Institute of Materials and Systems for Sustainability, Nagoya University, Tokai National Higher Education and Research System, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
Takuya Kasai: Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Tokai National Higher Education and Research System, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
Arata Katayama: Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Tokai National Higher Education and Research System, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 22, 1-18

Abstract: This study aimed to elucidate the origin of extracellular electron mediating (EEM) functionality and redox-active center(s) in humic substances, where they are ubiquitously distributed. Here, we show the emergence of EEM functionality during the humification of rice straw in artificial soil (kaolin and sand) with a matric potential of −100 cm at 20 °C for one year. We used the dechlorination activity of an EEM material-dependent pentachlorophenol-dechlorinating anaerobic microbial consortium as an index of the EEM functionality. Although rice straw and its mixture with artificial soil did not initially have EEM functionality, it emerged after one month of humification and increased until six months after which the functionality was maintained for one year. Chemical and electrochemical characterizations demonstrated that the emergence and increase in EEM functionality were correlated with the degradation of rice straw, formation of quinone structures, a decrease in aromatic structures, an increase in nitrogenous and aliphatic structures, and specific electric capacitance during humification. The newly formed quinone structure was suggested as a potential redox-active center for the EEM functionality. These findings provide novel insights into the dynamic changes in EEM functionality during the humification of organic materials.

Keywords: EEM material-dependent dechlorinating anaerobic consortium; organic matter decomposition; quinone synthesis; specific electric capacitance; rice straw; humification (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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