Harnessing  Dangke  Whey as a Sustainable Nutrient Source for  Lactobacillus plantarum  in Microbial Fuel Cells for Bioelectricity Generation

Dirayanti Dirayanti; Hasnah Natsir; Abdur Rahman Arif

doi:10.22146/ijc.106830

Harnessing Dangke Whey as a Sustainable Nutrient Source for Lactobacillus plantarum in Microbial Fuel Cells for Bioelectricity Generation

https://doi.org/10.22146/ijc.106830

Dirayanti Dirayanti⁽¹⁾, Hasnah Natsir⁽²⁾, Abdur Rahman Arif^(3*)

(1) Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Hasanuddin University, Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan Km. 10, Makassar 90245, Indonesia
(2) Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Hasanuddin University, Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan Km. 10, Makassar 90245, Indonesia
(3) Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Hasanuddin University, Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan Km. 10, Makassar 90245, Indonesia
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract

Dangke whey is a liquid by-product of traditional cheese production in Enrekang, Indonesia, which still contains nutrients like sugar and lactose. This research investigates the potential of using Lactobacillus plantarum and Dangke whey as a substrate in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for bioelectricity generation. Dangke whey, rich in lactose and nutrients, was tested as a carbon source in MFCs under varying whey concentrations (20, 80, and 100%) and agitation speeds (90, 120, and 150 rpm). The highest voltage output of 600 mV was obtained using 80% whey at 150 rpm stirring. Analysis revealed that lactose breakdown and acid production were key factors in bioelectricity generation. Additionally, four MFCs connected in series powered a red LED for 126 days, reaching a maximum voltage of 1,070 mV and a power density of 183.46 mW/cm². This study demonstrates the potential utilization of Dangke whey as a sustainable, low-cost substrate for MFCs, contributing to dairy waste valorization and renewable energy generation.

Keywords

Lactobacillus plantarum; lactose; microbial fuel cells; Dangke whey; voltage

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/ijc.106830