Examining the efficacy of constructed wetland coupled microbial fuel cell to treat textile wastewater using local wetlands plant species.

Constructed wetland coupled microbial fuel cells (CW-MFC) offer a dual benefit of wastewater treatment and bioelectricity generation. While existing research predominantly emphasizes cell configuration, there is a limited exploration of the impact that various wetland plants may have on bioelectricity production in CW-MFCs. This research examined three distinct native wetland plants: Canna indica, Typha latifolia, and Eichhornia crassipes. The study centered on addressing textile wastewater treatment and assessing bio-electricity production. Over the course of 4 weeks, regular assessments were conducted every 3rd day to monitor the alternations in the wastewater properties. The T. latifolia exhibited a chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of 85.45%, surpassing that of E. crassipes (83.17%), C. indica (80.03%), mix culture (85.29%), and the control (unplanted) system (73.11%). Maximum removal efficacy of phosphate (96.84%) and nitrate (82.88%) was also achieved by the Typha plant in comparison to other plant species. An increase in both reactive biomass and chlorophyll content of Canna and Typha under single and mixed culture conditions was also observed. The highest current and voltage were obtained from T. latifolia plant species (1.04 mA; 0.178 V). Based on the findings of this study, T. latifolia emerged as the optimum wetland plant for bioelectricity generation and organic matter, phosphate, and ammonia removal among the examined plant species. Therefore, incorporating T. latifolia in the design of a CW-MFC is recommended for efficient textile wastewater and bioelectricity generation.