Enhancement of bacterial cellulose production by ethanol and lactic acid by using Gluconacetobacter kombuchae

Abstract

The current study intended to analyze the impact of ethanol and lactic acid on the bacterial cellulose yield as well as physicochemical and mechanical properties, by using Gluconacetobacter kombuchae. The optimization of ethanol and lactic acid concentration has been done by using one-way ANOVA. Both the supplements significantly enhance the yield of bacterial cellulose (BC) as compared to the standard Hestrin–Schramm medium (control). Optimization leads to significant increase in BC yield as compared to the control, i.e., the addition, of optimized concentration of lactic acid (0.6%) increases the yield from (0.78 ± 0.026) g to (4.89 ± 0.020) g dry weight, and optimized concentration of ethanol (1%) increases the yield from (0.73 ± 0.057) g to (3.7 ± 0.01) g dry weight. Various physicochemical and mechanical properties of BC films produced in different media (i.e., HS, HS + Ethanol, and HS + Lactic acid), such as the crystallinity, structure, tensile strength, strain at break, Young’s modulus, and water holding capacity, were also examined, by employing various techniques such as SEM, FTIR, XRD, etc. BC produced in medium supplemented with the optimum concentration of both the additives were found to possesses higher porosity. Though, slight decline in crystallinity was observed. But the tensile strength and strain at break, were upgraded 1.5–2.5 times, 2-2.5 times, respectively. This article attempted to present a method for enhancing BC yields and characteristics that may lead to more widespread and cost-effective use of this biopolymer.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Bacterial cellulose
• ethanol
• lactic acid
• physicomechanical properties
• supplementation
• yield enhancement

Acknowledgement

The author gratefully acknowledges the financial support from fellowship funded by University Grant Commission as well as Kurukshetra University Kurukshetra for providing all the necessary amenities for research work.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the University Grant Commission (UGC), New Delhi; Reg. no. 834/(CSIR-UGC NET JRF JUNE 2019). One of the authors, Poonam Sharma had received financial support from University Grant Commission (UGC), New Delhi.