Integrating low-temperature anaerobic digestion with bioelectrochemical system for municipal wastewater: synergistic effects of promoting DIET-syntropy via magnetite and external applied voltage

The perception of wastewater has shifted from a pollutant to a renewable resource, with anaerobic digestion (AD) emerging as a key technology for biogas production. However, AD performance at low temperatures is hindered by reduced microbial activity and biomass retention. To address these challenges, strategies such as magnetite-embedded granules (MEG) and advanced reactor designs have been explored to enhance microbial stability and electron transfer. Recently, integrating bioelectrochemical systems (BES) with AD, termed BEAD, has shown promise in improving methane yields and microbial activity under ambient conditions. This study investigates BEAD performance under low-temperature conditions using synthetic municipal wastewater, focusing on methane production, energy recovery, and microbial community dynamics.