Electrobiochemical reactor and related method to enhance microbial/enzyme function in transforming or removing contaminants from a liquid
A method for supplying freely available electrons to microorganisms and/or enzymes includes applying a voltage and amperage to electrodes to create a free electron field between the electrodes, thus directly supplying electrons to the microorganisms and/or enzymes to enhance the effectiveness of the microorganisms and/or enzymes. Supplying the microorganisms and/or enzymes with electrons enhance their effectiveness in transforming and/or removing one or more target compounds from the liquid to be treated.
1. A method for transforming a target compound within a liquid, comprising:
analyzing the liquid to determine liquid chemistry, including the target compound to be transformed and/or removed from the liquid;
determining chemical reactions required to transform and/or remove the target compound from the liquid;
identifying microorganisms and/or enzymes that will facilitate the transformation of the target compound and/or remove the target compound from the liquid;
conditioning the microorganisms and/or enzymes so as to increase utilization of free electrons, instead of requiring metabolism of nutrients and/or electron donors or electron shuttles, to obtain the energy and/or electrons to effectuate a transformation of the target compound;
arranging a plurality of spaced apart electrodes so as to create a free electron field in a treatment area, the electrodes being stable and non-reactive as to the transformation or removal of the target compound;
placing high surface area support surfaces within the treatment area and the flow of the liquid;
developing a population of the identified and conditioned microorganisms and/or enzymes on the support surfaces within the treatment area and spaced from the electrodes;
selecting a voltage and an amperage within a range based on the determined chemical reactions to assist the microorganisms and/or enzymes to perform the removal or transformation of the target compound and being insufficient to reduce or damage the population of microorganisms and/or enzymes, wherein the applied voltage is approximately 5 volts or less and the applied amperage is approximately 2,500 milliamps or less; and
applying the selected voltage and amperage to the electrodes to create the free electron field between the electrodes to directly supply electrons to the microorganisms and/or enzymes, so that the electrons are freely available to the microorganisms and/or enzymes to transform the target compound without the need to obtain electrons from metabolism of nutrients and/or electron donors or electron shuttles.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying step includes the step of identifying microorganisms and/or enzymes that are compatible with one another and/or microbes within the liquid.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of conditioning the microorganisms and/or enzymes comprises the step of placing the microorganisms and/or enzymes in an environment with directly supplied, freely available electrons in order that the microorganisms and/or enzymes are more able to effectively utilize the directly supplied electrons to transform and/or remove the target compound from the liquid without nutrient metabolism or use of electron donors or shuttles.
4. The method of claim 1 , including the step of identifying, conditioning and developing multiple types of microorganisms and genetic complements and/or enzymes that will facilitate the transformation and/or removal of the target compound from the liquid.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the developing a population step includes the step of establishing a high density of microorganisms and/or enzymes in the treatment area.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining chemical reactions step comprises the step of determining oxidation/reduction half reactions required to transform the target compound.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting step includes the step of calculating the voltage and amperage needed by the microorganisms and/or enzymes to transform the target compound based on determined oxidation/reduction half reactions required to transform the target compound.
8. The method of claim 1 , including the step of adjusting the voltage and/or amperage to optimize the microorganism and/or enzyme target compound transformations based on determined chemical reactions and number of electrons required at a determined liquid pH.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number and arrangement of electrodes is determined by the analysis of the liquid chemistry, including Eh(V) (oxidation-reduction potential), pH, and/or half reactions and interactions in order to adjust the number of directly supplied electrons available per second to the microorganisms and/or enzymes.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applied amperage is between 0.01 to 70 milliamps.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applied amperage is between 70 and 2,500 milliamps.
12. The method of claim 1 , including the step of activating the support surfaces to increase the microorganism and/or enzyme support capacity of the support surfaces.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the support surface comprises an activated carbon material.
14. The method of claim 1 , including the step of providing a first enclosed bioreactor having electrodes associated therewith for creating a supply of freely available electrons within an electron field therein and microorganism and/or enzyme support surfaces disposed therein between a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet of the bioreactor.
15. The method of claim 1 , including the step of testing treated liquid to determine that target compound transformation and/or removal is occurring at a predetermined rate and/or amount.
16. The method of claim 15 , including the step of adjusting the voltage and/or the amperage applied to the electrodes to alter the density and/or energy of the free electrons within the electron field such that target compound transformation and/or removal by the microorganisms and/or enzymes occurs at an improved rate and/or efficiency.
17. The method of claim 1 , including the steps of determining multiple target compounds to be transformed and/or removed from the liquid, and identifying and developing multiple types of microorganisms and/or enzymes that will facilitate the transformation and/or removal of the target compounds from the liquid.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target compound is recovered from the liquid.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the liquid is water and the target compound comprises a metal or inorganic compound.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the target compound comprises selenium, arsenic, mercury, a nitrate or a sulfate.
21. The method of claim 1 , including the step of transforming and/or removing the target compound in-situ.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of developing a population of microorganisms and/or enzymes is prior to or concurrent with the step of creating a free electron field.
23. The method of claim 14 , including the step of providing a second bioreactor in fluid communication with the first bioreactor, the second bioreactor having support surfaces therein supporting microorganisms and/or enzymes for removing or transforming a target compound from the liquid, and electrodes associated therewith for creating a free electron field within the second bioreactor.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the electrode placement and/or microorganisms and/or enzymes in the second bioreactor are different than the microorganisms and/or enzymes of the first bioreactor for removing or transforming a second target compound from the liquid.
25. A method for transforming a target compound within a liquid, comprising:
analyzing the liquid to determine liquid chemistry, including the target compound to be transformed and/or removed from the liquid;
determining chemical reactions required to transform and/or remove the target compound from the liquid, including determining oxidation/reduction half reactions required to transform the target compound;
identifying microorganisms and/or enzymes that will facilitate the transformation of the target compound and/or remove the target compound from the liquid;
conditioning the identified microorganisms and/or enzymes in an environment with directly supplied, freely available electrons in order that the microorganisms and/or enzymes more effectively utilize the directly supplied electrons to transform and/or remove the target compound from the liquid;
arranging a plurality of spaced apart electrodes so as to create a free electron field in a treatment area, the electrodes being stable and non-reactive as to the transformation or removal of the target compound, wherein the number and arrangement of electrodes is determined by the analysis of the liquid chemistry, including Eh(V) (oxidation-reduction potential voltage), pH, and/or half reactions and interactions in order to adjust the number of directly supplied electrons available per second to the microorganisms and/or enzymes;
placing high surface area support surfaces, separate from the electrodes, within the flow of the liquid in the treatment area;
developing a high density population of the identified and conditioned microorganisms and/or enzymes on the support surfaces;
calculating a voltage and an amperage range, based on the determined oxidation/reduction half reactions, that is needed by the microorganisms and/or enzymes to perform the removal or transformation of the target compound while being insufficient to reduce or damage the population of microorganisms and/or enzymes, wherein the applied voltage is approximately 5 volts or less and the applied amperage is approximately 2,500 milliamps or less;
applying the selected voltage and amperage to the electrodes to create the free electron field between the electrodes to directly supply electrons to the microorganisms and/or enzymes, so that the electrons are freely available to the microorganisms and/or enzymes to transform the target compound without the need to obtain electrons from metabolism of nutrients and/or electron donors or electron shuttles; and
testing treated liquid to determine that target compound transformation and/or removal is occurring at a predetermined rate and/or amount.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the identifying step includes the step of identifying microorganisms and/or enzymes that are compatible with one another and/or microbes within the liquid.
27. The method of claim 25 , including the step of identifying, conditioning and developing multiple types of microorganisms and genetic complements and/or enzymes that will facilitate the transformation and/or removal of the target compound from the liquid.
28. The method of claim 25 , including the step of activating the support surfaces to increase the microorganism and/or enzyme support capacity of the support surfaces.
29. The method of claim 25 , including the step of providing a first enclosed bioreactor having electrodes associated therewith for creating a supply of freely available electrons within an electron field therein and microorganism and/or enzyme support surfaces disposed therein between a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet of the bioreactor.
30. The method of claim 25 , including the step of adjusting the voltage and/or the amperage applied to the electrodes to alter the density and/or energy of the free electrons within the electron field such that target compound transformation and/or removal by the microorganisms and/or enzymes occurs at an improved rate and/or efficiency.
31. The method of claim 25 , including the steps of determining multiple target compounds to be transformed and/or removed from the liquid, and identifying and developing multiple types of microorganisms and/or enzymes that will facilitate the transformation and/or removal of the target compounds from the liquid.
32. The method of claim 25 , wherein the target compound is recovered from the liquid.
33. The method of claim 32 , wherein the liquid is water and the target compound comprises a metal or inorganic compound.
34. The method of claim 33 , wherein the target compound comprises selenium, arsenic, mercury, a nitrate or a sulfate.
35. The method of claim 25 , including the step of transforming and/or removing the target compound in-situ.
36. The method of claim 25 , wherein the step of developing a population of microorganisms and/or enzymes is prior to or concurrent with the step of creating a free electron field.
37. The method of claim 29 , including the step of providing a second bioreactor in fluid communication with the first bioreactor, the second bioreactor having support surfaces therein supporting microorganisms and/or enzymes for removing or transforming a target compound from the liquid, and electrodes associated therewith for creating a free electron field within the second bioreactor.
38. The method of claim 37 , wherein the electrode placement and/or microorganisms and/or enzymes in the second bioreactor are different than the microorganisms and/or enzymes of the first bioreactor for removing or transforming a second target compound from the liquid.