Source-separated human urine has become an attractive nutrient resource due to its high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, which can be repurposed as fertilizer. Nevertheless, it also contains contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and steroid hormones, whose elimination is vital to prevent adverse environmental and health effects. In this study, a double-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) was employed to explore the degradation of pharmaceuticals. Urine was intentionally spiked with four compounds—trimethoprim, lamivudine, levofloxacin, and estrone—at 2 μg/mL, and the MFC was run in batch mode for seven months using this feed. A sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated to quantify the pharmaceuticals, achieving a lower quantification limit of 0.39 ng/mL. The system achieved up to 96% ± 2% removal of the target compounds. Degradation was driven by processes including sorption and anoxic biodegradation. Monitoring of voltage indicated that pharmaceuticals initially hindered power generation and raised organic content, but after reactor acclimation, both power output and organic removal improved, reaching peak efficiency at a retention time of 30 h. These findings provide a novel perspective on anoxic pharmaceutical degradation and highlight potential strategies for bioremediation in nutrient-rich waste streams.
