MICROBIAL CELLULOSE

Based on research by Gonzalo Serafica and Richard Mormino


Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical Engineering 
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 
Troy, NY 12180-3590

ABSTRACT

Acetobacter xylinium converts sugars to cellulose. A major byproduct is gluconic acid, and this causes the pH to drop. The traditional process has used surface culture, but a rotating biological contactor achieves comparable yields in one-third of the time. Our results have been dramatic in terms of novel product properties, rapid product formation, and likely low production cost. Pure microbial cellulose is an important product, but the rotating disk reactor also has the potential for creating new biopolymer composites. Changes in the medium are very easy with the rotating disk bioreactor, and various materials can be added and localized while the cellose is forming. 
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  • Tour of a small plant in the Philippines
  • Some applications
  • Rotating disk reactor
  • Production on Wine Grape Wastes
  • References