Bacterial Cellulose from simple and Low Cost production Media.by Gluconacetabcter xylinus

A. VAZQUEZ; M.L. FORESTI; P. CERRUTTI; M.A. GALVAGNO

JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

SPRINGER/PLENUM PUBLISHERS

Lugar: New York; Año: 2013 vol. 21 p. 545 - 554

1566-2543

Bacterial cellulose pellicles were produced by Gluconacetobacter xylinus using non conventional low-cost carbon sources, such as glycerol remaining from biodiesel production and grape bagasse, a residue of wine production. The carbon sources assayed showed their suitability for microbial cellulose production, with relatively high production values such as 10 g/l for the culture medium with glycerol from biodiesel as carbon source and corn steep liquor as nitrogen source; and 8 g/l for the culture medium containing grape bagasse and corn steep liquor. Glucose, commercial glycerol and cane molasses were also assayed as carbon souces for comparison. The bacterial celluloses produced were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Morphological analysis showed that bacterial cellulose microfibrils produced from the non-conventional media used were several micrometers long and had rectangular cross-sections with widths and thicknesses in the range of 35-70 nm and 13-24 nm, respectively. X-ray patterns showed crystallinity levels in the range of 74-79% (area method), whereas both X-ray patterns and infrared spectroscopy evidenced the presence of bands characteristic of Cellulose I polymorph. The study performed showed the suitability of using wine residues or glycerol remaining from increasing biodiesel production as cheap carbon sources for production of bacterial cellulose microfibrils, with similar morphological and structural characteristics as those obtained by use of more expensive carbon sources such as glucose or commercial glycerol.