Studies on Bacterial Cellulose Production Using Industrial Wastewater

Abstract

Industrial wastewater management remains a critical environmental concern worldwide. Several new and modified methods have been implemented to manage the effluent discharge from the industries. These wastewaters predominantly contains huge amount of organic loads; which can be utilised as a nutrient source for cultivating microorganisms to obtain valuable products from the fermentation process. Bacterial Cellulose is one such useful biopolymer produced by certain class of bacterial strains. These have been extensively studied for their distinctive properties and applications. However, production of Bacterial Cellulose from wastewaters using a potential bacterial strain is still limited. Komagataeibacter saccharivorans BC1, a novel cellulose producing strain was isolated from rotten green grapes and studied for the production of Bacterial Cellulose. The strain was initially grown and optimised on standard medium for cellulose production. Later, the strain was evaluated for the production of BC in crude distillery effluent medium. 23.6% reduction in COD and 11.9% reduction in BOD value along with the production of 1.24g/L of BC were recorded. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed thin microfibrils with good porosity. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy studies indicated similar functional groups as that of cellulose derived from standard medium. XRD analysis revealed crystallinity index of 80.2% and crystallite size of 8.36 nm. Solid state 13C NMR analysis helped to study the structural framework of the synthesised cellulose. Further, the Bacterial Cellulose films were used to study in vitro drug release. The study demonstrated the absorption and release of the model drug for over 8 hours. The films were also assessed for their cytotoxicity activity using A549 cells and showed an IC50 value of 210µg/mL. Thus, production of a useful biopolymer from wastewater as a nutrient medium proves a sustainable approach to reuse the waste to produce a value-added product which could benefit both the environment and humanity.