Electricity assisted anaerobic treatment of salinity wastewater and its effects on microbial communities

► Electrode packed into anaerobic reactor (R1) could enhance high salinity wastewater treatment. ► Electricity enhanced propionate degradation to optimize VFA composition for methanogenesis. ► The cell structure of microorganisms from R1 were integrate and less affected by the salt stress. ► Salt-adapted bacteria and archaea were enriched in R1 with increasing NaCl.