Metagenomic bacterial species in synergitic interactions of plant-microbe-electrode microbiome Metagenome

Synergistic degradation of complex pollutants with mutual inter-dependance of plant and bioelectrochemical entities is vital in competent biodegradability. The study aims to understand the synergistic interactions between the plant-microbe-electrodes on azo dye degradation and relative microbial community shifts with their functional role in the dye decolonization process. Five plant microbial fuel cells (PMFCs) were designed for treatment of textile dye wastewater (Retention time: 20 days) using rhizosphere of Eichhornia crassipes with three varying electrode positions with respect to cathode (viz., half-submerged vertical open-air cathode (PMFC 1), vertical full-submerged cathode (PMFC 2), and open-air cathode (PMFC 3)) against full-submerged anode. It strongly suggested the role of plant root development, electrode arrangement and the functional role of associated bacterial communities on dye degradation. Metagenome assembled genome (MAG) sequence results showed that PMFCs depicted to have a significant impact on the bacterial enrichment and even distribution of specified microcosms, as compared to the individual plant and electrode performances.