Transforming Tofu Wastewater into Sustainable Organic Fertilizer: A Fermentation Approach with EM4 and Coconut Water

Pungut, Hrismalia Octavianindhita Putri, Muhammad Al Kholif, Firda Lutfiatul Fitria

Abstract

This growing need for sustainable agriculture has made using recycled waste material in plant cultivation a significant area of research. The tofu industry, as a leading producer of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K)-rich wastewater, is a valuable substrate resource for microbial fermentation. The application of solid-state fermentation using EM4 with coconut water under aerobic and anaerobic processes works towards acidification of DM, increasing bioavailable nutrients and minimizing environmental implications from untreated wastewater discharge. This study determined the feasibility of fermenting tofu wastewater with coconut water and EM4 to produce liquid organic fertilizer and analyzed the product’s N, P2O5, K2O, C-organic, and C/N ratio. Fermentation occurred at 4:1 of tofu wastewater: fermentation materials, with EM4 concentrations of 10%, 25%, and 50% under anaerobic conditions for 14 days. The fertilizer produced was analyzed and compared with liquid organic health fertilizer according to nonstandard percent by Minister of Agriculture no. 70/Permentan/SR.140/10/2011. Results showed that fermentation increased tofu wastewater’s protein and amino acid contents. The highest nitrogen content (3.09 ± 0.023%) was obtained by treatment C (50% EM4), meeting standard requirements (3-6% N). The K2O
concentration of treatment C peaked at 3.28 ± 0.025% (K2O) within the acceptable range (3-6% K2O). The C-organic content in treatment C reached 10.5 ± 0.094%, exceeding the minimum quality (6%). The P2O5 contents never exceeded the maximum limit (2.22 ± 0.0057%). Although it indicates a rapid-acting fertilizer, the C/N ratio remained low for all treatments.

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Authors

Pungut
Hrismalia Octavianindhita Putri
Muhammad Al Kholif
alkholif87@unipasby.ac.id (Primary Contact)
Firda Lutfiatul Fitria
Author Biography

Hrismalia Octavianindhita Putri, PT. Sucofindo Analytical and Testing Laboratories, Surabaya, East Java, 60234, Indonesia

1Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas PGRI Adi Buana Surabaya, Surabaya, East Java, 60234, Indonesia

2PT. Sucofindo Analytical and Testing Laboratories, Surabaya, East Java, 60234, Indonesia

Pungut, Putri, H. O. ., Al Kholif, M., & Fitria, F. L. . (2025). Transforming Tofu Wastewater into Sustainable Organic Fertilizer: A Fermentation Approach with EM4 and Coconut Water. Indonesian Journal of Environmental Management and Sustainability, 9(2), 79-86. https://doi.org/10.26554/ijems.2025.9.2.79-86
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