Production and Optimization of Bacterial Nano Cellulose using Kosakonia radicincitans wava 1 Over Fruit Waste Derived Media

Abstract

Cellulose nanostructures, particularly bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), have gained significant attention due to their superior mechanical strength, biodegradability, and biocompatibility, making them promising alternatives to petrochemical-based plastics. However, large-scale BNC production is limited by low yields and high processing costs, with culture media contributing approximately 30% of the total production expenditure. In the present study, a BNC-producing bacterium, Kosakonia radicincitans wava 1, was isolated from rotten Totapuri mango and evaluated for cost-effective BNC production using mango peel waste extract as a substitute for glucose in the conventional Hestrin–Schramm medium. Morphological analysis of the synthesized BNC using scanning electron microscopy revealed a dense, three-dimensional network of interwoven ribbon-like nanofibers with an average fiber width ranging from 88-111 nm. Process optimization was carried out using response surface methodology (RSM) with a randomized three levels factorial design, resulting in a quadratic model (p < 0.05). The optimal conditions for maximum BNC yield were determined to be 5% (w/v) mango peel extract concentration, pH 8.0, and an incubation temperature of 26 °C. Experimental validation under these optimized conditions produced a BNC yield (0.46 g/L) closely matching the model-predicted value (0.44 g/L), confirming the reliability of the statistical optimization. The results demonstrate that mango peel waste is an effective low-cost substrate for enhanced BNC production and offers a sustainable approach for valorizing agro-industrial waste.