Production and characterisation of microbial cellulosic fibre from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Acetobacter xylinum</i>

Abstract

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has been produced by the Gram negative bacterium <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Acetobacter xylinum</i> at the air liquid interface of sugary rich medium. The BC has been produced from Hestrin Shramn (HS) medium using the efficient cellulose-producing culture isolated from sugarcane juice under static batch fermentation condition. Results show that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">A. xylinum</i> (sju-1) produces 11g/L BC after 14 days of fermentation period. The water holding capacity of bacterial cellulose is found to be 84.4 %. The tensile strength, Young’s modulus, viscosity and degree of polymerisation of bacterial cellulosic fibre are found to be 120 MPa, 4.9 GPa, 127.4 cP and 2074 respectively. The FTIR results reveal the presence of hydroxyl and CH₂ stretching behaviour at the absorption wavelength of 3229 cm^-1 and 2911cm^-¹.The banding patterns of bacterial cellulose closely resemble the structure of pure celluloses. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">A. xylinum</i> (sju-1) isolate produces bacterial cellulose of type Iα in quantities of commercial interest. The findings of the research reveal that bacterial cellulose can be used in making absorbent pads and nonwoven textiles.