Evaluación del efecto del ácido tereftálico en la producción de celulosa bacteriana por Komagataeibacter xylinus DSM2004

Abstract

The industrial-scale production of bacterial cellulose (BC) faces limitations associated with low yields and the high costs of conventional substrates, which justify the exploration of alternative additives such as terephthalic acid (TPA), derived from PET recycling. This study evaluated the effect of TPA supplementation on BC production using the strain Komagataeibacter xylinus DSM2004. The study analyzed the interaction of three critical factors: pH, TPA concentration, and cultivation type. The results indicated that the optimal condition was pH 6.5 with 1 percent TPA under static cultivation, achieving a yield of 4.62 g per L. Supplementation with 1 percent TPA enhanced yield compared to the conventional medium; however, increasing the concentration to 2 percent resulted in an inhibitory effect, particularly under agitated conditions, where glucose consumption ceased prematurely. FTIR characterization showed that TPA did not produce detectable alterations in the functional group’s characteristic of bacterial cellulose. Mechanical analysis revealed that the presence of the monomer influenced the flexibility and stiffness of the material, suggesting a possible plasticizing effect. Overall, the results suggest that the valorization of TPA derived from PET recycling may constitute a technically viable strategy for the production of advanced biomaterials, integrating circular economy principles into biotechnology.