Biosynthesis and characterization of bacterial cellulose membranes presenting relevant characteristics for air/gas filtration

The production of bacterial cellulose has gained prominence in recent years as an alternative for the sustainable production of materials that might be used in diverse processes and applications. The present study discusses the possibility of producing tailored bacterial cellulose membranes in situ, that present relevant characteristics for potential use in air/gas filtration. Various cultivation processes and characterization studies were performed to ascertain the suitability of Komagataeibacter sp. FXV3, Komagataeibacter sp. NFXK3, and K. intermedius LMG 18909 bacterial strains to produce cellulose membranes with diverse properties. Subsequently, the bacterial cellulose films produced were freeze-dried to obtain stable membranes, and extensively characterized for their physicochemical properties. The results obtained showed that different strains enabled the synthesis of mem-branes with distinctive morphological properties. Moreover, the different carbon sources and ethanol concen-trations employed in the cultivation media led to modifications in the cellulose membranes produced by the different Komagataeibacter strains, which further impacted membrane morphology and, ultimately, gas filtration behavior. All the synthesized membranes were fully characterized, showing adequate mechanical properties, and tested for permeance of N2, CO2 and O2, opening perspectives for their use in air/gas filtration.

Automated summary

The production of bacterial cellulose as an alternative material has gained attention for its potential use in various processes and applications. This study focuses on producing custom bacterial cellulose membranes with relevant characteristics for air/gas filtration. Different bacterial strains were cultivated and characterized to determine their suitability for producing cellulose membranes. The resulting membranes were freeze-dried and extensively characterized, showing distinctive morphological properties. The cultivation conditions affected the membrane properties and gas filtration behavior. The membranes demonstrated adequate mechanical properties and permeance for N2, CO2, and O2, suggesting their potential use in air/gas filtration.