Production of microcrystalline cellulose and bacterial nanocellulose through biological valorization of lignocellulosic biomass wastes

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) are inexhaustible, natural biopolymers with many applications in various fields of modern science. In this study, the methodological approach employing cellulolytic bacterial consortium for various lignocellulose biomasses (LCB) valorization leading to production of MCC and BNC was demonstrated and evaluated. Various spectroscopy and imaging based characterizations showed that MCC prepared through valorization were microcrystalline, irregularly shaped with increased carbon content and crystallinity. When a BNC producing novel Bacillus cabrialesii strain was cultured in Hestrin-Schramm (HS) medium supplemented with reducing sugars released during valorization, ultrafine, aggregated, crystallized networks of nano-sized BNC fibrils of average length in the range of 30–62.47 nm were produced. Thus, based on the results obtained, a facile, green methodological approach has been proposed that can be used for LCB waste disposal management and its valorization for production of various value added products.