Utilizing Biowaste-Soil Consortia for Efficient Isolation of Cellulose-Producing Bacteria and Evaluation of Bacterial Cellulose.

Abstract

This study presents an efficient, low-cost method for isolating a bacterial cellulose (BC) producer from a biowaste-soil consortium. Soil is a natural reservoir of diverse microorganisms, which, when combined with biowaste (vegetables and fruits), creates an ideal environment for enrichment and isolation of cellulose-producing bacteria. This synergistic consortium fosters the dominance of cellulose producers and increases the likelihood of isolating high-yield strains in a shorter enrichment cycle, thus reducing screening time. Use of this methodology significantly resulted in lower operational costs due to fewer lab consumables and media. This approach led to isolation and the identification of Komagataeibacter diospyri RSA4 via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The isolate produced the highest cellulose yield under static conditions, highlighting its potential for sustainable and scalable BC production. Analytical techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis, and x-ray diffraction confirmed that cellulose produced by the isolate was of good quality.