Exploration of a novel and efficient source for production of bacterial nanocellulose, bioprocess optimization and characterization

The demand for bacterial nanocellulose is expected to rise in the coming years due to its wide usability in many applications. Hence, there is a continuing need to screen soil samples from various sources to isolate a strain with a high capacity for bacterial nanocellulose production. Bacillus sp. strain SEE-12, which was isolated from a soil sample collected from Barhiem, Menoufia governorate, Egypt, displayed high BNC production under submerged fermentation. Bacillus sp. strain SEE-12 was identified as Bacillus tequilensis strain SEE-12. In static cultures, BNC was obtained as a layer grown in the air liquid interface of the fermentation medium. The response surface methodology was used to optimise the process parameters. The highest BNC production (22.8 g/L) was obtained using 5 g/L peptone, 5 g/L yeast extract, 50%, v/v Cantaloupe juice, 5 g/L Na(2)HPO(4), 1.5 g/L citric acid, pH 5, medium volume of 100 mL/250 mL conical flask, inoculum size 5%, v/v, temperature 37 °C and incubation time 6 days. The BNC was purified and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).