Preliminary study on biosynthesis and characterization of bacteria cellulose films from coconut water

Synthesis of Extract-Bacterial Cellulose Composite Using Ageratum conyzoides L. and Chromolaena odorata L., Its Antibacterial Activities, and Biodegradability Properties

Bacterial cellulose is a natural polymer produced by fermentation of coconut water using Acetobacter xylinum bacteria. This study aimed to synthesize a novel composite of bacterial cellulose impregnated with plant extracts that had an antibacterial activity that have the potential to be used as a food packaging material to maintain food quality. Pure bacterial cellulose (pure BC) was impregnated using Ageratum conyzoides L. leaf extract (AC-BC) and Chromolaena odorata L. leaf extract (CO-BC), which contain secondary metabolites with potential as antibacterial. The study began with the synthesis of pure BC, AC-BC, and CO-BC composites then characterized by SEM-EDX and FTIR, continued with antibacterial activity tests against S. aureus, S. typhimurium, E. coli, and their biodegradability tests. The results of SEM and FTIR characterization showed the success of the impregnation process for antibacterial compounds. The results of the antibacterial activity of AC-BC disc diffusion against S. typhimurium and E. coli showed good antibacterial activity of 9.82 mm and 8.41 mm, respectively. The similar result showed with the antibacterial activity of CO-BC disc diffusion against S. typhimurium and E. coli that showed good activity of 9.73 mm and 6.82 mm, respectively. On the other hand, the biodegradability test showed that the impregnation of bacterial cellulose slowed down the degradation process in the soil. This study confirmed the potential application of bacterial cellulose-plant extracts as an active and biodegradable food packaging.

Current progress on the production, modification, and applications of bacterial cellulose

Adoption of biomass for the development of biobased products has become a routine agenda in evolutionary metabolic engineering. Cellulose produced by bacteria is a "rising star" for this sustainable development. Unlike plant cellulose, bacterial cellulose (BC) shows several unique properties like a high degree of crystallinity, high purity, high water retention, high mechanical strength, and enhanced biocompatibility. Favored with those extraordinary properties, BC could serve as ideal biomass for the development of various industrial products. However, a low yield and the requirement for large growth media have been a persistent challenge in mass production of BC. A significant number of techniques has been developed in achieving efficient BC production. This includes the modification of bioreactors, fermentation parameters, and growth media. In this article, we summarize progress in metabolic engineering in order to solve BC growth limitation. This article emphasizes current engineered BC production by using various bioreactors, as well as highlighting the structure of BC fermented by different types of engineered-bioreactors. The comprehensive overview of the future applications of BC, aims to provide readers with insight into new economic opportunities of BC and their modifiable properties for various industrial applications. Modifications in chemical composition, structure, and genetic regulation, which preceded the advancement of BC applications, were also emphasized.