Properties of bacterial cellulose produced in grape medium by native isolate Gluconacetobacter sp

During the production of grape wine, the occurrence of thick leathery pellicle at the air-liquid interface was found as a contaminant. The pellicle produced was investigated with a view to use as biodegradable polymer. The bacterium that is responsible for the pellicle production was isolated, characterized and identified as Gluconacetobacter sp. Pellicle was produced in pasteurized grape extract as well as in HS medium by the isolated organism in static conditions. The purified film was subjected for Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and C¹³ solid NMR spectroscopy analysis, which confirmed the pellicle to be a cellulosic material. Scanning Electron Micrograph showed ultra fine network structure along with cells. The films were tested for its physicomechanical characters, barrier and thermal properties. The films of 25-μ thickness showed very high tensile strength (41.158 MPa) and elongation of 0.987 mm. The thermal properties of the films were characterized by Differential scanning calorimetry and Thermo gravimetric analysis. The melt peak temperature was found to be 111.65°C. The percentage of weight loss was found to be 20% at 327.86°C. Barrier properties (oxygen transmission rate and water vapor transmission rate), indicated a high oxygen barrier but low water barrier. This is the first report on the barrier properties of bacterial cellulose from Gluconacetobacter sp.