Structural Properties of Bacterial Cellulose Film Obtained on a Substrate Containing Sweet Potato Waste
Izabela Betlej,
Katarzyna Rybak,
Małgorzata Nowacka,
Andrzej Antczak,
Sławomir Borysiak,
Barbara Krochmal-Marczak,
Karolina Lipska,
Piotr Boruszewski
Affiliations
Izabela Betlej
Department of Wood Science and Wood Protection, Institute of Wood Sciences and Furniture, Warsaw University of Life Sciences–SGGW, 159 Nowoursynowska St., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Katarzyna Rybak
Department of Food Engineering and Process Management, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Science–SGGW, 159C Nowoursynowska St., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Małgorzata Nowacka
Department of Food Engineering and Process Management, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Science–SGGW, 159C Nowoursynowska St., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Andrzej Antczak
Department of Wood Science and Wood Protection, Institute of Wood Sciences and Furniture, Warsaw University of Life Sciences–SGGW, 159 Nowoursynowska St., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Sławomir Borysiak
Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Poznan University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
Barbara Krochmal-Marczak
Department of Plant Production and Food Safety, Carpathian State College in Krosno, 38-400 Krosno, Poland
Karolina Lipska
Department of Technology and Entrepreneurship in Wood Industry, Institute of Wood Sciences and Furniture, Warsaw University of Life Sciences–SGGW, 159 Nowoursynowska St., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Piotr Boruszewski
Department of Technology and Entrepreneurship in Wood Industry, Institute of Wood Sciences and Furniture, Warsaw University of Life Sciences–SGGW, 159 Nowoursynowska St., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
The paper presents the results of research on the microstructure of bacterial cellulose (BC-SP) obtained on a medium containing sweet potato peel, which was compared to cellulose obtained on a synthetic medium containing sucrose and peptone (BC-N). The properties of cellulose were analyzed using the methods: size exclusion chromatography (SEC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and computer microtomograph (X-ray micro-CT). BC-SP was characterized by a higher degree of polymerization (5680) and a lower porosity (1.45%) than BC-N (4879, 3.27%). These properties give great opportunities to cellulose for various applications, e.g., the production of paper or pulp. At the same time, for BC-SP, a low value of relative crystallinity was found, which is an important feature from the point of view of the mechanical properties of the polymer. Nevertheless, these studies are important and constitute an important source of knowledge on the possibility of using cheap waste plant materials as potential microbiological substrates for the cultivation of cellulose-synthesizing micro-organisms with specific properties.
