Original Data for CW- Microbial Fuel Cell
Description
This study proposes a spatial redox-decoupled dual-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) equipped with a Pd-Ni/Pt-Ti hybrid cathode to address the thermodynamic incompatibility (ΔG = +221 kJ·mol⁻¹) between urea hydrolysis and diclofenac (DCF) degradation in complex wastewater. The system achieves synergistic removal of 85.3 ± 2.1% urea and 70% DCF within 15 hours, representing a 3.2-fold kinetic enhancement compared to conventional aerobic processes, while generating a power density of 0.81 W·m⁻². Microbial community analysis reveals that Geobacter (38.2 ± 2.1%) dominates the electroactive consortium, facilitating direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) via 2.5-fold upregulation of the omcZ cytochrome. Mechanistic investigations using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy confirm hydroxyl radical (·OH)-mediated demethylation as the primary DCF degradation pathway, with ·OH contributing 78 ± 3% to degradation efficiency. The spatial decoupling of anodic urea hydrolysis and cathodic ·OH generation resolves substrate competition and kinetic mismatches, enabling energy-positive treatment of nitrogenous and pharmaceutical co-contaminated wastewater.