Sustainable Bacterial Cellulose Production Using Low-Cost Fruit Wastewater Feedstocks
Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a versatile biopolymer prized for its remarkable water absorption, nanoscale fiber architecture, mechanical robustness, and biocompatibility, making it suitable for diverse applications. Despite its potential, the high cost of conventional fermentation media limits BC’s s...
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/4/271 |
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| author | Cláudia Mouro Arlindo Gomes Ana P. Gomes Isabel C. Gouveia |
| author_facet | Cláudia Mouro Arlindo Gomes Ana P. Gomes Isabel C. Gouveia |
| author_sort | Cláudia Mouro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a versatile biopolymer prized for its remarkable water absorption, nanoscale fiber architecture, mechanical robustness, and biocompatibility, making it suitable for diverse applications. Despite its potential, the high cost of conventional fermentation media limits BC’s scalability and wider commercial use. This study investigates an economical solution by utilizing fractions from fruit processing wastewater, refined through sequential membrane fractionation, as a supplement to commercial HS medium for BC production. BC films were thoroughly characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and assessments of mechanical properties and water holding capacity (WHC). FTIR confirmed the BC structure, while TEM validated its nanofibrillar 3D network. XRD analysis revealed a slight increasing trend in crystallinity with the addition of wastewater fractions, and DSC revealed a slight increase in thermal stability for F#6. Adding these fractions notably improved the BC films’ tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and WHC. Overall, the results underscore that fruit processing wastewater fractions can serve as a cost-efficient, eco-friendly alternative to traditional fermentation media. This approach supports circular economy principles by lowering reliance on intensive wastewater treatments, promoting waste valorization, and advancing sustainable production methods for high-value biopolymers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8bdd2f80de5149a78b1dbd45c2488c83 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj-art-8bdd2f80de5149a78b1dbd45c2488c832025-08-20T03:12:19ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912025-02-0115427110.3390/nano15040271Sustainable Bacterial Cellulose Production Using Low-Cost Fruit Wastewater FeedstocksCláudia Mouro0Arlindo Gomes1Ana P. Gomes2Isabel C. Gouveia3Aeronautics and Astronautics Research Center, Faculty of Engineering, University of Beira Interior, 6200-001 Covilhã, PortugalFibEnTech Research Unit, Faculty of Engineering, University of Beira Interior, 6200-001 Covilhã, PortugalAeronautics and Astronautics Research Center, Faculty of Engineering, University of Beira Interior, 6200-001 Covilhã, PortugalAeronautics and Astronautics Research Center, Faculty of Engineering, University of Beira Interior, 6200-001 Covilhã, PortugalBacterial cellulose (BC) is a versatile biopolymer prized for its remarkable water absorption, nanoscale fiber architecture, mechanical robustness, and biocompatibility, making it suitable for diverse applications. Despite its potential, the high cost of conventional fermentation media limits BC’s scalability and wider commercial use. This study investigates an economical solution by utilizing fractions from fruit processing wastewater, refined through sequential membrane fractionation, as a supplement to commercial HS medium for BC production. BC films were thoroughly characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and assessments of mechanical properties and water holding capacity (WHC). FTIR confirmed the BC structure, while TEM validated its nanofibrillar 3D network. XRD analysis revealed a slight increasing trend in crystallinity with the addition of wastewater fractions, and DSC revealed a slight increase in thermal stability for F#6. Adding these fractions notably improved the BC films’ tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and WHC. Overall, the results underscore that fruit processing wastewater fractions can serve as a cost-efficient, eco-friendly alternative to traditional fermentation media. This approach supports circular economy principles by lowering reliance on intensive wastewater treatments, promoting waste valorization, and advancing sustainable production methods for high-value biopolymers.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/4/271bacterial cellulosefermentationlow-cost feedstockmembrane fractionationmembrane separation technologyfruit processing wastewater |
| spellingShingle | Cláudia Mouro Arlindo Gomes Ana P. Gomes Isabel C. Gouveia Sustainable Bacterial Cellulose Production Using Low-Cost Fruit Wastewater Feedstocks Nanomaterials bacterial cellulose fermentation low-cost feedstock membrane fractionation membrane separation technology fruit processing wastewater |
| title | Sustainable Bacterial Cellulose Production Using Low-Cost Fruit Wastewater Feedstocks |
| title_full | Sustainable Bacterial Cellulose Production Using Low-Cost Fruit Wastewater Feedstocks |
| title_fullStr | Sustainable Bacterial Cellulose Production Using Low-Cost Fruit Wastewater Feedstocks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sustainable Bacterial Cellulose Production Using Low-Cost Fruit Wastewater Feedstocks |
| title_short | Sustainable Bacterial Cellulose Production Using Low-Cost Fruit Wastewater Feedstocks |
| title_sort | sustainable bacterial cellulose production using low cost fruit wastewater feedstocks |
| topic | bacterial cellulose fermentation low-cost feedstock membrane fractionation membrane separation technology fruit processing wastewater |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/4/271 |
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