Enhance performance ZnO/ Bi2MoO6/ MIL-101(Fe) grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide as photoanode and CuO/ Cu2O based on Cu mesh photocathode in the photocatalytic fuel cell

[Display omitted] •Hydrothermal synthesis of novel ZnO @ Bi2MoO6 @ MIL-101(Fe) is grown on FTO glass.•Single-stage synthesis Cu2O/ CuO is formed on the copper mesh.•Photodegradation and cyclic voltammetry are assessed in the presence of electrolytes.•Tetracycline hydrochloride removal is investigated under various parameters. The photocatalytic fuel cell (PFC) is a combined strategy for pollution removal and energy recovery. Electrochemical and photodegradation properties obtained at the ZnO/ Bi2MoO6/ MIL-101 (Fe)/ FTO photoanode are higher than ZnO/ Bi2MoO6/ FTO and ZnO/ FTO. Open and closed-circuit tests in the PFC system reveal that the closed-circuit has a better removal efficiency. Under optimal conditions (Pollutant concentration = 40 ppm, radiation intensity = 9.25 mW/cm2, pH = 6, irradiation time = 90 min), the removal efficiencies of tetracycline and TOC are 95.1 % and 89.6 %, respectively. The maximum power, short-circuit current, and open-circuit voltage are obtained at 30.58 µW/cm2, 139.2µA/cm2, and 772 mV, respectively. The central composite face-centered (CCF) method is assessed and optimized concerning the process factors effect at optimal conditions. The effect of electrolytes supporting Na2SO4, NaCl, and NaHCO3 electrolytes is evaluated. The NaCl improves the removal efficiency, while the cyclic voltammetry reveals that the current density is better for Na2SO4. For photodegradation and photo electrochemistry, photoanode has good stability after five cycles.