Bioelectricity production from Tofu
wastewater using microbial-microalgae fuel
cell technology (MMFC)
Cite as: AIP Conference Proceedings 2202, 020071 (2019); [Link]
Published Online: 27 December 2019
Anang Baharuddin Sahaq and Hadiyanto
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© 2019 Author(s).
Bioelectricity Production From Tofu Wastewater Using
Microbial-Microalgae Fuel Cell Technology (MMFC)
Anang Baharuddin Sahaqa) and Hadiyantob)
Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Diponegoro University, Tembalang, Semarang,
Indonesia
Corresponding author: a)alwaysanang@[Link]
b)
hadiyanto@[Link]
Abstract. Tofu industries have been known as one of the household industries that spread all over cities in Indonesia, and
that makes the significant amount of wastewater. Tofu wastewater contains a high measure of COD that can cause
environmental damage if it doesn’t reduce before flowing on the waterways. In this study, explains the COD reduction of
wastewater from the tofu industry for electricity generation and biomass production of microalgae Spirulina Platensis
within Microalgae-Microbial Fuel Cell (MMFC). Anaerobic microbes in tofu wastewater were used in the anode
chamber and produced electron. Spirulina platensis culture in cathode chamber produced oxygen for the Oxygen
Reduction Reaction by carbon-based electrode such as graphite. The result of this study showed that MMFC could
generate electricity up to 171,44 mW.m-2 when two pieces of graphite electrode were adopt in the system with a
membrane surface area was 2.85 cm2. The OD spirulina achieved 0,513 on day 7. The COD removal achieved 42% for
ratio 2:2 cathode when applied in the MMFC system.
INTRODUCTION
Food industry wastes contain large amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats can cause serious environmental
problems, and massive pollution to the water if their disposal is not treated correctly. One industry that often causes
environmental pollution is tofu industry. In general, the tofu industry produces two types of waste, namely solid
waste and liquid waste. Solid waste is obtained during the extraction of soy milk, while liquid waste is produced
after coagulation of soy milk protein.
Liquid tofu waste is one of the residues that cause many environmental problems because of its high organic
matter content. The content of organic matter in liquid tofu waste is quite high, as well as COD and BOD of tofu
liquid waste [4]. The BOD content of liquid tofu waste is around 6,000-8,000 mg / L, and its COD content is 8,000-
11,400 mg / L so that tofu liquid waste produced by tofu industries has a high level of pollution [3].
Existing conventional wastewater treatment requires large amounts of energy so it is necessary to develop
alternative technologies that use less energy for operations and can produce other energy that can be used
sustainably [2]. Microbial Fuel Cell can be used as wastewater treatment. This system can provide clean energy, in
addition to effective processing of liquid waste [7]. The microbial culture used in MFC has the ability to use organic
matter in liquid waste as an energy source and produce electrons and protons, where electricity can be produced by
adding the right electrodes [1].
By utilizing tofu industrial wastewater as a substrate in the microalgae-microbial fuel cell (MFC) system, it can
be an alternative wastewater treatment that has been used and can overcome problems caused by wastewater.
International Conference on Science and Applied Science (ICSAS) 2019
AIP Conf. Proc. 2202, 020071-1–020071-4; [Link]
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1953-7/$30.00
020071-1
Microalgae
Microalgae are cellular-sized plant organisms commonly known as phytoplankton. Spirulina platensis is one of
the cyanobacteria class microalgae which requires three important components to grow such as sunlight, carbon
dioxide, and water. Microalgae need these components for photosynthesis reaction with the following reaction :
CO2 + H2O + light → CH2O + O2 (1)
This photosynthetic reaction will produce oxygen by utilizing solar energy.
Microbial Fuel Cell
Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) can convert organic matter into energy by using microorganisms as catalysts. Microalgae-
Microbial Fuel Cell (MMFC) use algae in the cathode chamber to supply oxygen in the system and tofu liquid waste in the anode
to produce electricity. MMFC uses a proton exchange membrane (PEM) as an ion exchange in the system.
EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
Material
The Microalgae-Microbial Fuel Cell (MMFC) used in this study consisted of a reactor separated into two
identical chambers [6] by a standard 117 Membrane Nafion Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM, by Dupont
Company). The graphite electrodes with ratio 1:1 and 2:2 were place in each chamber, the graphite electrode had an
estimated length of 10 cm and 7 mm diameter [10] and connected by 1 meter of copper wire.
The cathode chamber contained the culture of Spirulina platensis to supply oxygen. The solar energy was
supplied with a Lamp (Philips) 11 W. A Digital Multimeter DT-9205A was connected to the cell voltage
continuously.
FIGURE 1. Bioelectricity Production of MMFC in Time
Methods
This research conducted in the Environmental Department laboratory of Diponegoro University, Semarang.
Organic content in terms of COD was measured according to Standard Methods [8], at the initial experiment and
after eight days to asses MMFC efficiency in organic load removal (COD).
Procedure
In this study, 2 reactors were used. Each reactor consists of 2 chambers with a volume of 3 liters each (cathode
and anode) fitted with the Nafion membrane. Testing of diluted absorbance and wavelength of Spirulina platensis.
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Likewise, the characterization of tofu wastewater is tested for its absorbance and wavelength. Each electrode in the
chamber connected with a digital multimeter. All tests are carried out continuously for eight days.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Bioelectricity produced from the dual chamber Microalge-Microbial Fuel Cell (MMFC) technology can be
shown :
700
600
500
Potential (mV)
400
300
200 Electrode 1 : 1
100 Electrode 2 : 2
0
1 3 5 7 9
Time (Days)
FIGURE 2. Bioelectricity Production of MMFC in Time
From figure 2, shows the comparison between voltage curves at the eight day of operation for cells characterized
by 1:1 and 2:2 electrode ratio. The results shown 2:2 electrode ratio had higher voltage than 1:1 electrode ratio.
0,6
0,5
0,4
OD
0,3
0,2
Electrode 2:2
0,1 Electrode 1:1
0
1 3 5 7 9
Time (Days)
FIGURE 3. The Effect of Spirulina Growth in Electricity Production
Ratio 2:2 electrode reach the highest value of 642 mV on day 7 with the aborbance value of microalgae cell of
0,513 on the same day. These results demonstrated that the bioelectricity produced by electrode ratio 2:2 were
higher than that by system electrode ratio 1:1 and the average power output of system electrode 2:2 ratio was higher
under the experimental conditions. This system indicating that the larger electrode surface area (2:2) was conducive
to increasing the voltage of system reactor.
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7000
6000
5000
COD (mg/L)
4000
3000
2000 Electrode 1 : 1
1000 Electrode 2 : 2
0
1 3 5 7 9
Time (Days)
FIGURE 4. COD Tofu Wastewater During MMFC Operation
The COD removal performances of the 2 systems with different concentrations show in Figure 4. In this study,
the influent COD concentration for system electrode 2:2 was 6443,33 mg/L and for system electrode 1:1 was
6343,33 mg/L. Meanwhile, the effluent COD concentrations of systems 2:2 and 1:1 were 3743,33 and 3976,67
respectively.
The results show the decrease in COD was even greater at 2: 2 electrode. This is because the large surface area
of the electrode will increase the number of bacteria attached, so the decrease in COD is even greater [5][9]. The
COD removal percentages of systems 2:2 and 1:1 were 42 % and 37%, respectively. The COD removal percentages
in system 2:2 was higher than that of system 1:1.
CONCLUSION
In this study, MMFC can produce bioelectricity from reactor systems. MMFC produces the highest electricity up
to 642 mV at 2: 2 electrodes. Spirulina in the chamber cathode can also grow well, microalgae growth is
characterized by an increase in absorbance of microalgae which is increasing every day. This MMFC system can
reduce COD of tofu wastewater up to 42% for 8 days.
REFERENCES
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