Summary: | The production of biogas was promoted via direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) by employing electro-conductive carbon-nanotube hollow-fiber media (CHM) in anaerobic digestion. Experimental results showed a positive effect of CHM presence on CH<sub>4</sub> productivity with 34% higher CH<sub>4</sub> production rate than that of in the presence of non-electroconductive polymeric hollow fiber media. An increased CH<sub>4</sub> production rate was due to the shift in the microbiome with more abundant <i>Pelobacter</i> (10.0%), <i>Geobacter</i> (6.9%), and <i>Methanosaeta</i> (15.7%), which play key roles in promoting CH<sub>4</sub> production via syntrophic metabolism associated with DIET. Microscopic morphology analysis, using confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, exhibited that several living cells were attached with electro-conductive <i>pili</i> on the CHM surface, thereby facilitated electron transport between microbial cells.
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