Effect of molasses cane treated with sulfuric acid in the production of cellulose by Gluconacetobacter xylinus IFO 13693

This study assessed the effect of molasses treated with sulfuric acid (MZA-TR) and the condition of the crop (static) on the synthesis of cellulose by Gluconacetobacter xylinus IFO 13693, using a reactor with 0,2 liters of growing medium, with initial concentrations of 13,3 % and 26,6 % of molasses treated (MZA-TR) in the culture medium at pH 5,6. The volume of the inoculum was 10 per cent of the total volume of the environment; the process was carried out at ambient temperature (30 degrees C), with times of incubation of 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Also, different physico-chemical and mechanical parameters of the pulp were evaluated. The thickness of the cellulose film presented a maximum of 2.5 cm, being the best result obtained, in comparison to previous reports in the literature. Furthermore, it was found that using MZA-TR in the middle considerably increased the production of cellulose in static at 28 days of incubation. Finally, it was observed that the consumption of glucose and fructose decreased during the synthesis of Bacterial Cellulose (BC); during the first 3 days of incubation it was noted the maximum decline, which allows to correlate the production of CB with the consumption of media. The concentration of 13.3 %, presents the best results in the speed parameters of microbial growth, the quantity and quality of cellulose produced.