Bioelectricity generation via biodegradation of pharmaceutical wastewater using MnCo₂O₄-CV coated electrodes in dual-chamber microbial fuel cells

This study presents an innovative and environmentally sustainable approach for treating pharmaceutical wastewater (PWW) using a dual-chamber microbial fuel cell (DMFC) that simultaneously generates bioelectricity. The DMFC system incorporates manganese cobalt oxide-coated carbon veil (MnCo₂O₄-CV) electrodes to optimize organic pollutant removal and enhance power production from PWW. The novel MnCo₂O₄-CV electrode coating represents a significant advancement, offering superior chemical stability, electrical conductivity, durability, large surface area, and enhanced absorption capacity. Following a systematic acclimatization, various organic loadings were investigated to identify optimal operating conditions. Results demonstrated peak performance at an organic loading of 2.0 g COD/L. Under these conditions, the system exhibited remarkable removal efficiencies for total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD), soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD), and total suspended solids (TSS), while generating electrical output. Performance evaluation encompassed maximum voltage, current density, power density, coulombic efficiency, and pollutant removal metrics. Microbial community analysis via 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed a diverse bacterial community in the anodic biofilm that contributed to improved system performance.