PRODUCTION OF BACTERIAL NANOCELLULOSE IN ALTERNATIVE CULTURE MEDIA UNDER STATIC AND DYNAMIC CONDITIONS

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) was produced in three different culture media: the standard HS medium, and the alternative much less costly analytical glycerol/corn steep liquor (AG-CSL) and glycerol remaining from biodiesel production/corn steep liquor (BG-CSL) media. Both static and agitated conditions were assessed, and the effect of the culture medium, agitation speed and cultivation time used was evaluated on BNC production and selected products characteristics (morphology, specific surface area and crystallinity). Results showed that the cheaper alternative culture media assayed led to increased production of BNC, and that agitation speed modulation allowed producing either BNC pellicles or BNC pellets with varying size, shape, crystallinity and cellulose nanofibers packing.