Hydrogen production using cocaine metabolite in microbial electrolysis cells

In this study, the effects of cocaine metabolite, benzoylecgonine, commonly found in wastewater on hydrogen production were investigated using microbial electrolysis cells. Benzoylecgonine dissolved in synthetic urine and human urine containing benzoylecgonine were inoculated to evaluate hydrogen production performance in microbial electrolysis cells. Microbial electrolysis cells were inoculated with synthetic urine and human urine containing the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine for hydrogen gas production performance. Gas production was observed and measured daily by gas chromatography. GC-MS was used to analyze the compounds found in human urine before and after operation in microbial electrolysis cells. The metabolite's pH values and optical density in microbial electrolysis cells were analyzed spectrophotometrically. Hydrogen gas was successfully produced in microbial electrolysis cells (similar to 5.5 mL) at the end of the 24th day in the presence of benzoylecgonine in synthetic urine. Human urine containing benzoylecgonine also generated hydrogen in microbial electrolysis cells. In conclusion, microbial electrolysis cells can be used to remove cocaine metabolites from contaminated wastewater generating hydrogen gas.