Obtainment of bacterial cellulose with added propolis extract for cosmetic applications

Bacterial cellulose in cosmetic innovation: A review

Bacterial cellulose (BC) emerges as a versatile biomaterial with a myriad of industrial applications, particularly within the cosmetics sector. The absence of hemicellulose, lignin, and pectin in its pure cellulose structure enables favorable interactions with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic biopolymers. This enhances compatibility with active ingredients commonly employed in cosmetics, such as antioxidants, vitamins, and botanical extracts. Recent progress in BC-based materials, which encompasses membranes, films, gels, nanocrystals, and nanofibers, highlights its significant potential in cosmetics. In this context, BC not only serves as a carrier for active ingredients but also plays a crucial role as a structural agent in formulations. The sustainability of BC production and processing is a central focus, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to strengthen scalability and cost-effectiveness. Future research endeavors, including the exploration of novel cultivation strategies and functionalization techniques, aim to maximize BC's therapeutic potential while broadening its scope in personalized skincare regimes. Therefore, this review emphasizes the crucial contribution of BC to the cosmetics sector, underlining its role in fostering innovation, sustainability, and ethical skincare practices. By integrating recent research findings and industry trends, this review proposes a fresh approach to advancing both skincare science and environmental responsibility in the cosmetics industry.

Towards Sustainable Packaging Using Microbial Cellulose and Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) Bagasse

The high consumption of packaging has led to a massive production of waste, especially in the form of nonbiodegradable polymers that are difficult to recycle. Microbial cellulose is considered a biodegradable, low-cost, useful, ecologically correct polymer that may be joined with other biomaterials to obtain novel characteristics and can, therefore, be used as a raw material to produce packaging. Bagasse, a waste rich in plant cellulose, can be reprocessed and used to produce and reinforce other materials. Based on these concepts, the aim of the current research was to design sustainable packaging material composed of bacterial cellulose (BC) and sugarcane bagasse (SCB), employing an innovative shredding and reconstitution method able to avoid biomass waste. This method enabled creating a uniform structure with a 0.10-cm constant thickness, classified as having high grammage. The developed materials, particularly the 0.7 BC/0.3 SCB [70% (w/w) BC plus 30% (w/w) SCB] composite, had considerable tensile strength (up to 46.22 MPa), which was nearly thrice that of SCB alone (17.43 MPa). Additionally, the sorption index of the 0.7 BC/0.3 SCB composite (235.85 ± 31.29 s) was approximately 300-times higher than that of SCB (0.78 ± 0.09 s). The packaging material was also submitted to other analytical tests to determine its physical and chemical characteristics, which indicated that it has excellent flexibility and can be folded 100 times without tearing. Its surface was explored via scanning electron microscopy, which revealed the presence of fibers measuring 83.18 nm in diameter (BC). Greater adherence after the reconstitution process and even a uniform distribution of SCB fibers in the BC matrix were observed, resulting in greater tear resistance than SCB in its pure form. The results demonstrated that the composite formed by BC and SCB is promising as a raw material for sustainable packaging, due to its resistance and uniformity.

A novel cost-effective methodology for the screening of nanocellulose producing micro-organisms

In this paper, the work has been done to develop a cost-effective methodology, for the isolation of the potential producer of bacterial nanocellulose. No report is available in the literature, on the use of gram flour and table sugar for the screening of nanocellulose-producing isolates. Since commercially used, Hestrin-Schramm medium is expensive for the isolation of nanocellulose-producing micro-organisms, the possibility of using gram flour-table sugar medium was investigated in this work. Qualitative screening of micro-organisms was done using cost-effective medium, i.e., gram flour-table sugar medium. Qualitative analysis of various nanocellulose-producing bacteria depicted that cellulose layer production occurred on both HS medium and gram flour-table sugar medium. The yield of nanocellulose was also better on air-liquid surface in case of gram flour-table sugar medium as compared to HS medium. 16S rRNA was used for molecular characterization of bacterial strain and the best nanocellulose producer was identified as Novacetimonas hansenii BMK-3_NC240423 (isolated from rotten banana). FTIR and FE-SEM studies of nanocellulose pellicle produced on HS medium and gram flour-table sugar medium demonstrated equivalent structural, morphological, and chemical properties. The cost of newly designed medium (0.01967 $/L) is nearly 90 times lower than the Hestrin-Schramm medium (1.748 $/L), which makes the screening of nanocellulose producers very cost-effective. A strategy of using gram flour extract-table sugar medium for the screening of nanocellulose-producing micro-organisms is a novel approach, which will drastically reduce the screening associated cost of cellulose-producing micro-organisms and also motivate the researchers/industries for comprehensive screening programme for getting high cellulose-producing microbes.

Plant-Derived Nanocellulose with Antibacterial Activity for Wound Healing Dressing

The medical sector is one of the biggest consumers of single-use materials, and while the insurance of sterile media is non-negotiable, the environmental aspect is a chronic problem. Nanocellulose (NC) is one of the safest and most promising materials that can be used in medical applications due to its valuable properties like biocompatibility and biodegradability, along with its good mechanical properties and high water uptake capacity. However, NC has no bactericidal activity, which is a critical need for the effective prevention of infections in chronic diabetic wound dressing applications. Therefore, in this work, a natural product, propolis extract (PE), was used as an antibacterial agent, in different amounts, together with NC to obtain sponge-like structures (NC/PE). The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed well-impregnated cellulose fibers and a more compact structure with the addition of PE. According to the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), the samples containing PE underwent thermal degradation before the unmodified NC due to the presence of volatile compounds in the extract. However, the peak degradation temperature in the first derivative thermogravimetric curves was higher for all the sponges containing PE when compared to the unmodified NC. The antibacterial efficacy of the samples was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli, as well as on two clinically resistant isolates. The samples completely inhibited the development of Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was partially inhibited, while Escherichia coli was resistant to the PE action. Considering the physical and biological properties along with the environmental and economic benefits, the development of an NC/PE wound dressing seems promising.

Chitosan-Silica Composites for Adsorption Application in the Treatment of Water and Wastewater from Anionic Dyes

A series of new types of composites (biopolymer-silica materials) are proposed as selective and effective adsorbents. A new procedure for the synthesis of chitosan-nanosilica composites (ChNS) and chitosan-silica gel composites (ChSG) using geometrical modification of silica and mechanosorption of chitosan is applied. The highest adsorption efficiency was achieved at pH = 2, hence the desirability of modifications aimed at stabilizing chitosan in such conditions. The amount of chitosan in the synthesis grew to 1.8 times the adsorption capacity for the nanosilica-supported materials and 1.6 times for the silica gel-based composites. The adsorption kinetics of anionic dyes (acid red AR88) was faster for ChNS than for ChSG, which results from a silica-type effect. The various structural, textural, and physicochemical aspects of the chitosan-silica adsorbents were analyzed via small-angle X-ray scattering, scanning electron microscopy, low-temperature gas (nitrogen) adsorption, and potentiometric titration, as well as their adsorption effectiveness towards selected dyes. This indicates the synergistic effect of the presence of dye-binding groups of the chitosan component, and the developed interfacial surface of the silica component in composites.

Magnetic Bacterial Cellulose Biopolymers: Production and Potential Applications in the Electronics Sector

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a biopolymer that has been widely investigated due to its useful characteristics, such as nanometric structure, simple production and biocompatibility, enabling the creation of novel materials made from additive BC in situ and/or ex situ. The literature also describes the magnetization of BC biopolymers by the addition of particles such as magnetite and ferrites. The processing of BC with these materials can be performed in different ways to adapt to the availability of materials and the objectives of a given application. There is considerable interest in the electronics field for novel materials and devices as well as non-polluting, sustainable solutions. This sector influences the development of others, including the production and optimization of new equipment, medical devices, sensors, transformers and motors. Thus, magnetic BC has considerable potential in applied research, such as the production of materials for biotechnological electronic devices. Magnetic BC also enables a reduction in the use of polluting materials commonly found in electronic devices. This review article highlights the production of this biomaterial and its applications in the field of electronics.

Bacterial Cellulose as a Versatile Biomaterial for Wound Dressing Application

Chronic ulcers are among the main causes of morbidity and mortality due to the high probability of infection and sepsis and therefore exert a significant impact on public health resources. Numerous types of dressings are used for the treatment of skin ulcers-each with different advantages and disadvantages. Bacterial cellulose (BC) has received enormous interest in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and medical fields due to its biological, physical, and mechanical characteristics, which enable the creation of polymer composites and blends with broad applications. In the medical field, BC was at first used in wound dressings, tissue regeneration, and artificial blood vessels. This material is suitable for treating various skin diseases due its considerable fluid retention and medication loading properties. BC membranes are used as a temporary dressing for skin treatments due to their excellent fit to the body, reduction in pain, and acceleration of epithelial regeneration. BC-based composites and blends have been evaluated and synthesized both in vitro and in vivo to create an ideal microenvironment for wound healing. This review describes different methods of producing and handling BC for use in the medical field and highlights the qualities of BC in detail with emphasis on biomedical reports that demonstrate its utility. Moreover, it gives an account of biomedical applications, especially for tissue engineering and wound dressing materials reported until date. This review also includes patents of BC applied as a wound dressing material.

Design of a Naturally Dyed and Waterproof Biotechnological Leather from Reconstituted Cellulose

Consumerism in fashion involves the excessive consumption of garments in modern capitalist societies due to the expansion of globalisation, especially at the beginning of the 21st Century. The involvement of new designers in the garment industry has assisted in creating a desire for new trends. However, the fast pace of transitions between collections has made fashion increasingly frivolous and capable of generating considerable interest in new products, accompanied by an increase in the discarding of fabrics. Thus, studies have been conducted on developing sustainable textile materials for use in the fashion industry. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential of a vegan leather produced with a dyed, waterproof biopolymer made of reconstituted bacterial cellulose (BC). The dying process involved using plant-based natural dyes extracted from Allium cepa L., Punica granatum, and Eucalyptus globulus L. The BC films were then shredded and reconstituted to produce uniform surfaces with a constant thickness of 0.10 cm throughout the entire area. The films were waterproofed using the essential oil from Melaleuca alternifolia and wax from Copernicia prunifera. The characteristics of the biotechnological vegan leather were analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), flexibility and mechanical tests, as well as the determination of the water contact angle (°) and sorption index (s). The results confirmed that the biomaterial has high tensile strength (maximum: 247.21 ± 16.52 N) and high flexibility; it can be folded more than 100 times at the same point without breaking or cracking. The water contact angle was 83.96°, indicating a small water interaction on the biotextile. The results of the present study demonstrate the potential of BC for the development of novel, durable, vegan, waterproof fashion products.