A novel micro-voltage driven fungal system for simultaneous removal of microplastics, antibiotics, and heavy metals

Microplastics, antibiotics, and heavy metals are co-occurring pollutants in wastewater, posing significant environmental risks and potential threats to human health. However, there is currently no effective wastewater treatment method for this type of combined pollution. This study establishes a novel dual-chamber fungal system by leveraging fungi’s remarkable capacity to degrade multiple pollutants in complex environments and their responsiveness to micro-voltage stimulation. Following treatment with this system, up to 84.28±2.85% of enrofloxacin (ENR) and 95.52±1.77% of Pb were removed. Meanwhile, under the trapping effect of fungal mycelium, more than 95% of polypropylene, polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics distributed in different water layer areas were removed. Multi-omics analysis revealed that micro-voltage enhanced fungal energy, amino acid, and cofactor metabolism, thereby altering fungal surface structural properties and increasing extracellular oxidase activity. These alterations improved the entrapment and aging of microplastics by fungal, while simultaneously promoting the decomposition of ENR and the mineralization/adsorption of Pb on the fungal surface. Furthermore, experiments conducted in genuine wastewater confirmed the stability and security of the micro-voltage driven fungal system under practical operating conditions, including organic load and ammonia nitrogen shocks. This study offers novel insights and promising avenues for addressing combined pollution.

微塑料（microplastics）、抗生素（antibiotics）与重金属（heavy metals）为废水（wastewater）中共存污染物，可引发严重的环境风险，并对人类健康构成潜在威胁。然而，目前尚无针对此类复合污染的高效污水处理技术。本研究依托真菌在复杂环境中降解多种污染物的卓越能力，以及其对微电压刺激的响应特性，构建了一种新型双室真菌处理系统。经该系统处理后，恩诺沙星（enrofloxacin，ENR）与铅（Pb）的去除率分别可达84.28±2.85%与95.52±1.77%。与此同时，借助真菌菌丝体的捕获作用，分布于不同水层区域的聚丙烯（polypropylene）、聚苯乙烯（polystyrene）与聚氯乙烯（polyvinyl chloride）类微塑料的去除率均超过95%。多组学分析结果表明，微电压可增强真菌的能量代谢、氨基酸代谢与辅因子代谢，进而改变真菌表面结构特性，提升胞外氧化酶活性。此类变化强化了真菌对微塑料的捕获与老化过程，同时促进了ENR的降解，以及Pb在真菌表面的矿化/吸附过程。此外，在实际废水中开展的实验证实，该微电压驱动的真菌处理系统在实际运行工况（包括有机负荷与氨氮冲击）下具备良好的稳定性与安全性。本研究为复合污染治理提供了全新的研究视角与极具应用前景的技术路径。