Microbial fuel cell-assisted composting shows stronger capacity to immobilize phosphorus: Emphasized on bacterial structures and functional enzymes.

ABSTRACT

Limited scientific evidence exists on phosphorus immobilization under autogenetic electrochemical reactions in composting systems. This study exploited a composting procedure using microbial fuel cell (MFC) to ascertain phosphorus redistribution during composting process. Compared to the control without MFC equipment, MFC-assisted treatment yielded a 13 % decrease in phosphorus availability due to the transformation of exchangeable fraction (Ex-P) to aluminum-bound (Al-P) and calcium-bound (Ca-P) fractions. During the composting process, organic humification primarily controlled phosphorus redistribution and immobilization. Biotic factors, including bacterial communities (i.e., Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Gemmatimonadota) and functional enzymes (i.e., acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, phytase, and C-P lyase), significantly influenced phosphorus availability in the composting systems. Temperature-dependent composting phases restricted microbial actions on phosphorus transformation. These findings highlight the mechanisms underlying phosphorus transformation in composting systems, and provide valuable insights for advancing composting technology and protecting agricultural ecosystems.