Controlled Crystallization of Nanocrystalline Apatite via Vapor Diffusion on Bacterial Cellulose Membranes Obtained from Mango Waste

Abstract

Hybrid bacterial cellulose (BC)-calcium phosphate apatite (Ap) composite was successfully synthesized via the sitting drop vapor diffusion crystallization method. The BC matrix was produced using the bacterial strain Komagataeibacter sp. SU12 cultured in a medium derived from mango juice waste, underscoring a sustainable strategy for biopolymer production. The resulting BC-Ap composite exhibited plate-like apatite crystals, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction analyses, which were heterogeneously distributed on the BC matrix and coupled to the nanocellulose surface fibers. An increase in mineral content in the BC-Ap composites over the experimental reaction times (1–15 days) was observed by thermogravimetry analyses. Spectroscopic analyses confirmed the presence of characteristic BC functional groups (e.g., hydroxyl and carboxylate), and the vibrational modes associated with phosphate (ν1–ν4of PO43–), corroborating the formation of apatite within the BC–Ap material. These findings suggest that the vapor diffusion crystallization method is an effective approach for the controlled mineralization of BC nanofibers with nanocrystalline apatite, yielding a bioinspired material with promising potential application in bone tissue engineering. Additionally, the use of mango-processing waste as a carbon source for BC production offers a sustainable and cost-efficient alternative, supporting the advancement of green technology and biocompatible routes for material design.