Synthesis of sulfhydryl modified bacterial cellulose gel membrane and its application in adsorption of patulin from apple juice

Patulin (PAT) is a common toxin in fruit juice, and adsorption is the most commonly used patulin removal method. The safety, adsorption capacity, and separation capacity of the adsorbent are the most important considerations. As a low-cost and biocompatible microbial material, bacterial cellulose gel membranes (BCMs) have many hydroxyl active sites that are readily modified, and BCMs are also stable, which facilitates their separation from aqueous solution. Therefore, BCMs are a promising material for adsorbing patulin. Through silanization, –SH was successfully connected to BCM, and the maximum content of –SH was 1.25 mmol/g. Because of facile combination of –SH and PAT, our sulfhydryl-modified bacterial cellulose gel membrane [BCM-SH(Si)] retained an adsorption capacity of 498.78 ± 35.94 μg/g in a complex apple juice solution, an adsorption capacity that is 125 × higher than that before the modification. We have thus demonstrated a promising, readily prepared biomaterial for removing of patulin from fruit juice that facilitates subsequent separation of the material from fruit juice and exhibits a good adsorption capacity.