A three-chamber bioelectro-Fenton (BEF) system using a Fe/Cu composite carbon cloth cathode (Fe/Cu@CC) was developed to overcome the poor degradability of bisphenol A (BPA) and the instability of conventional Fenton processes, while enabling simultaneous pollutant removal and metal recovery. The novelty of this study lies in a systematic investigation of Cu²⁺ migration and its impacts on BEF system performance, including Fe²⁺/Fe³ ⁺ redox cycling, microbial community distribution, pollutant degradation efficiency, cathode stability, and metal release. In addition, the influence of different three-chamber BEF configurations on Cu²⁺ migration and overall system performance is examined. Under optimal conditions (NaAc 1000 mg/L, Cu²⁺ 50 mg/L, pH 5, and aeration rate of 1 L min⁻¹), almost complete BPA removal was achieved within 36 h. Cu²⁺ migration facilitated the Fe³ ⁺/Fe²⁺ redox cycle and inhibited iron precipitation, allowing the system to retain over 60 % removal efficiency after eight cycles, with voltage output and power density increasing by 33.7 mV and 18.2 %, respectively. Electrochemical analyses indicated an oxygen reduction electron transfer number of 2.61 and an H₂O₂ selectivity of 80 %. Reactive species identification confirmed that •OH, •O₂⁻, and ¹O₂ were the dominant oxidants. Microbial community analysis revealed that Cu²⁺ migration remarkably increased the relative abundance of electroactive Desulfuromonadaceae from 0.14 % to 33.7 %, contributing to enhanced system stability. By-product evaluation revealed complete mineralization of hydroquinone and oxalic acid, with no detectable residues remaining. Overall, the Cu²⁺-mediated Fe/Cu@CC cathode significantly strengthens redox cycling and electrochemical stability, offering a sustainable BEF strategy for organic pollutant remediation and metal regeneration.
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