Optimization and physicochemical characterization of enhanced microbial cellulose production with a new Kombucha consortium

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a natural biopolymer, used in biomedical, food, paper, electronics and other industrial processes. The objective of this research was to improve the productivity of cellulose by using a new kombucha consortium (Komagataeibacter saccharivorans LN886705, Brettanomyces bruxellensis MH393498 and Brettanomyces anomalus KY103303) with a low-cost nitrogen source (black tea). Accordingly, BC can be highly produced (18.68 g/L BC) in optimized media (containing 1% black tea and 6% glucose, pH 6) at 30 degrees C, for 10 days under static cultivation. Results demonstrated that cellulose production enhanced 4.06 times in optimized medium when compared with Hestrin-Schramm medium (4.59 g/L BC) with a 29.74% cost reduction. Characterization of obtained cellulose was performed by using Focussed Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM),Fouirer Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectrometer, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA-DSC) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Cellulose fibrils showed a typical porous, cellulose type I structure and exhibits high thermal stability with a total weight loss of 76%. Results confirmed that, it was possible to obtain high value cellulose with excellent physicochemical properties and cost-reduction by using low-cost nitrogen source.

Automated summary

This research successfully increased the cellulose productivity by using a new kombucha consortium and low-cost nitrogen source, resulting in high-value cellulose with excellent physicochemical properties and cost reduction.