Engineering control of bacterial cellulose production
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Date
2025-07-03
Authors
Σταυροπούλου, Άννα
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Abstract
Bacterial cellulose (BC) is an emerging biopolymer recognized for its exceptional purity,-mechanical strength, and biocompatibility, making it highly suitable for applications across the-biomedical, food packaging, and textile sectors. This study aimed to develop a cost-effective-and sustainable method for BC production through the use of enzymatically hydrolyzed cheese-whey (CW) as an alternative carbon source, combined with systematic optimization of key-cultivation parameters. A series of different experiments was performed that included-alteration of different operational factors like inoculum preparation, initial culture media pH,-ethanol supplementation, incubation time, cultivation mode (static vs. agitated) as well as the-usage of hydrolysed CW sustainable culture mediums.
The results demonstrated that enzymatically hydrolysed CW is a viable substitute for the-conventional Hestrin–Schramm (HS) medium. In several formulations, CW-based media-matched or exceeded HS performance in terms of BC yield and sugar conversion efficiency,-offering an effective strategy for valorising industrial dairy waste. Another series of-experiments presented that the HS medium when supplemented with ethanol yielded an-optimal BC production by stimulating microbial metabolism and enhancing carbon flux toward-cellulose synthesis. However, very high concentrations (addition of 5% (v/v) of ethanol)-inhibited growth, emphasizing the importance of dose control.
In some experiments that the influence of incubation time was tested, BC production peaked-after seven days of incubation, with minimal gains observed thereafter, indicating that-fermentation processes can be streamlined for efficiency. Cultivation under static conditions-in Petri dishes consistently yielded the most structurally sound and metabolically efficient BC-membranes, while agitated or flask-based systems underperformed due to shear stress and-inconsistent oxygen transfer. Furthermore, inoculum built up using the original protocol-produced the most reliable and productive cultures, underscoring the need for robust-upstream processing.
Physicochemical characterization revealed that cultivation variables not only affect yield but-also influence membrane properties such as water holding capacity and structural integrity—-critical traits for high-value industrial applications. This work contributes to cost-effective and-environmentally friendly BC production methods, aligning with the Sustainable Development-Goals (SDGs) 9, 11, and 12.
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Keywords
Bacterial cellulose, Ethanol supplementation, Cheese whey, BC yield