THEY PRODUCED BACTERIAL CELLULOSE BECAUSE OF INCREASED PAPER COSTS

Hitit University researchers produced bacterial cellulose from microorganisms as an alternative solution to increasing costs on paper.

The faculty members of Hitit University Molecular Biology and Genetics Department produced bacterial cellulose from microorganisms as an alternative solution to increasing costs in paper production within the scope of the studies for the production of domestic and national products and the development of patented products.

Molecular Biology and Genetics Faculty Member, Assoc. Prof. Gülçin Alp Avcı and her team succeeded in obtaining a highly mechanically strong, biodegradable cellulose from bacteria isolated from fruit wastes.

CELLULOSE IS AN ECONOMICALLY CRITICAL PRODUCT!

Pointing out that cellulose has a wide usage network, Assoc. Prof. Gülçin Alp Avcı said that cellulose has a very important place in the country’s economy. Pointing out that there has been a price increase in the paper industry as in many sectors recently, Assoc. Prof. Avcı drew attention to the intensity of the use of cellulose in products or packaging in many sectors such as food, agriculture, animal husbandry and cosmetics. Stating that cellulose is very common in industry and pharmaceutical industry, Assoc. Prof. Avcı reminded that cellulose is mostly used in paper industry.

Explaining that the searches for obtaining cellulose shifted in different directions due to the increasing costs, Faculty Member Avcı said: “Cellulose production has been carried out for many years. Cellulose is one of the materials found mostly in wood or plants. While wood yields 40 to 60 percent efficiency in terms of cellulose production, obtaining cellulose from plants requires a very energy-consuming, multistep method and cost. We work with microorganisms. We know that there are microorganisms in every moment of our lives.

Based on microorganisms, we asked why we don’t produce cellulose from them and we started out to find the best quality”.

BACTERIAL CELLULOSE TECHNOLOGY DATES BACK TO THE 1950S

Explaining that the idea of bacterial cellulose production is not a new idea, and researchers started studies in this field in the 1950s, Avci said: “The important thing is to discover the most productive microorganisms. Microorganisms can be found everywhere in nature. Especially celluloseproducing bacteria are very valuable for us. Our country also provides an advantage in this respect due to the fertile soil it has. Especially the fruits that we name rotten or waste, or the molasses that we know as sugar beet waste, are very beautiful living spaces for such bacteria. We are investigating the cellulose production of microorganisms we obtain from those. For the moment, there are good bacteria we found. They can produce significant amount of cellulose. Our goal is to increase the cellulose production of these microorganisms. We use different carbon sources to increase. We try to increase the amount of cellulose we produce by making them complex using different carbon sources.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF BACTERIAL CELLULOSE?

Making a statement about why they used microorganisms in cellulose production and the differences and advantages of this, Avci said: “First, we can produce cellulose from microorganisms in a shorter way. Bacterial cellulose also has advantages, and also has a smooth fiber structure. Water holding capacity is quite high. It is mechanically strong and biodegradable. We can produce in a short time and the steps required to process bacterial cellulose are much shorter. This provides great advantages in reducing costs. Since the usage area is quite wide, it is very important for us that the manufacturers shift to this area. Nowadays, when national and domestic production is emphasized in our country, our producers can take steps to put bacterial cellulose in the market.

For this, they can put into practice the bacterial cellulose in cooperation with universities and research centers. We can use the cellulose we obtain from bacteria in two forms. First, we obtain it statically. We can get it flat like an A4 paper. We can write on it, we can color it with food dyes. The other is that we can produce it mechanically, like cotton. I think this raw material can also be used in the paper and pharmaceutical industry. Depending on the purpose of use, every sector can benefit very well from this”.