Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Sep 27;16(19):2735.
doi: 10.3390/polym16192735.

Bacterial Cellulose Production within a Circular Economy Framework: Utilizing Organic Waste

Cristina Moreno-Díaz  1 , Salvador González-Arranz  1 , Carmen Martínez-Cerezo  1
Affiliations

Bacterial Cellulose Production within a Circular Economy Framework: Utilizing Organic Waste

Cristina Moreno-Díaz et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has emerged as a sustainable biomaterial with diverse industrial applications. This paper examines BC production through a circular economy framework, focusing on organic waste as a primary feedstock. It compares static and agitated cultivation methods for BC production, highlighting their advantages and limitations. Static cultivation using Gluconacetobacter xylinum yields high-quality cellulose films but is constrained by lower yields and longer incubation times. Agitated cultivation accelerates production but may affect fiber uniformity. This paper emphasizes sustainability by exploring organic waste materials such as coffee grounds, tea leaves, and food scraps as cost-effective nitrogen and carbon sources. These materials not only lower production costs but also support circular economy principles by converting waste into valuable products. BC produced from these waste sources retains key properties, making it suitable for applications in the textile and other industries. In addition, BC production can align with vegan principles, provided that all additives and processing methods are free of animal-derived components. The paper discusses BC's potential to replace synthetic fibers in textiles and reduce environmental impact. Case studies show successful BC integration into textile products. In conclusion, this paper calls for more research to optimize BC production processes and explore new industrial applications. Using organic waste in BC production can help industries adopt sustainable practices, reduce environmental footprints, and create high-value materials.

Keywords: bacterial cellulose; biomaterials; extraction methods.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chemical structure of bacterial cellulose. The structure consists of a non-reducing end, a repeating structural unit (cellobiose), and a reducing end. Adapted from [7].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Circular diagram of the sustainable cycle of bacterial cellulose production.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Simplified schematic of bacterial cellulose production with medium reuse. Prepared by the author.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Flowchart of BC production process. Own preparation.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Treatment overview.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Example of BC extrusion obtained through agitated cultivation for the formation of sheets.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Imagesof the material sheets obtained with different feedstocks: basic (a) wet and (b) after drying and mixture of organic waste (fruits and vegetables) (c) wet and (d) after drying.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Growth of BC in static culture and variation in its properties and components over time, adapted from [18].
Figure 9
Figure 9
Images of the final appearance of samples dyed during cultivation with (a) strawberries, (b) beer, (c) red wine, (d) turmeric, and (e) coffee grounds.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Images of the final appearance of samples dyed with natural dyes such as (a) beetroot, (b) cochineal, and (c) chestnut dye.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Images of the final appearance of samples: (a) after drying between steel sheets, and dyed with food colorings: (b) green, (c) yellow, and (d) blue spotted pattern.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Images of the final appearance of samples dried on parchment paper.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Image of the final appearance of sample dried with weight application (a), final appearance of the samples dried directly on wood (b) and after the application of beeswax (c).
Figure 14
Figure 14
Images of the placement and final appearance of one of the samples dried on plastic (a) and on fabric (b,c).
Figure 15
Figure 15
Images of the placement and final appearance of one of the samples dried on a mold.
Figure 16
Figure 16
(a) Images of the various laser cutting and engraving tests performed. (b) A detail of one of the cut sheets.
Figure 17
Figure 17
Obtaining samples for the application of the different treatments.
Figure 18
Figure 18
Images of the finish of the samples treated with (a) coconut oil, (b) beeswax, and (c) a 50% mixture of both.
Figure 19
Figure 19
Images of the process of wet mono-material bonding and its appearance after drying.
Figure 20
Figure 20
Images of the thread production process and a comparison from strips to braided threads. Examples of the potential uses of threads and strips.
Figure 21
Figure 21
Images of the final bag and close-ups of the seam.
Figure 22
Figure 22
Images of the handbags: (a) final first handbag prototype, (b) images of the final prototype of the second handbag and its details in (c).
Figure 23
Figure 23
Manufacturing process of a bag by self-joining (mono-material).
Figure 24
Figure 24
Images of the cutting and mono-material joining.
Figure 25
Figure 25
Images of the die-cutting and prototype assembly.
Figure 26
Figure 26
Comparison of the performance of bacterial cellulose between different BC cultures in static cultivation. Own elaboration.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Geyer R., Jambeck J.R., Law K.L. Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. Sci. Adv. 2017;3:e1700782. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1700782. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kirchherr J., Yang N.H.N., Schulze-Spüntrup F., Heerink M.J., Hartley K. Conceptualizing the Circular Economy (Revisited): An Analysis of 221 Definitions. Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 2023;194:107001. doi: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107001. - DOI
    1. Real L.E.P. Recycled Materials for Construction Applications: Plastic Products and Composites. Springer International Publishing; Cham, Switzerland: 2023. Plastics Statistics: Production, Recycling, and Market Data; pp. 103–113. - DOI
    1. Lebreton L., Andrady A. Future scenarios of global plastic waste generation and disposal. Palgrave Commun. 2019;5:6. doi: 10.1057/s41599-018-0212-7. - DOI
    1. McNamara J.T., Morgan J.L., Zimmer J. A Molecular Description of Cellulose Biosynthesis. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 2015;84:895–921. doi: 10.1146/annurev-biochem-060614-033930. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources