Long-term effects and mechanisms of sulfur-modified nanoscale zero-valent iron in enhancing anaerobic treatment of highly toxic wastewater containing 2,4-dichlorophenol

The study investigated the long-term effects of sulfur-modified nanoscale zero-valent iron (S-nZVI) on the anaerobic treatment of wastewater containing 2,4-dichlorophenol. The results demonstrated that S-nZVI enriched functional bacteria associated with pollutant degradation and anaerobic digestion, while increasing the relative abundance of genes related to key structural proteins (cytochrome c and conductive pili) for microbial extracellular electron transfer.