Polymer Engineering and Science, Vol.60, No.11, 2814-2826, 2020
Hybrid bacterial cellulose-collagen membranes production in culture media enriched with antioxidant compounds from plant extracts
Bioactive, structural, and mechanical properties were measured of a cellulose biopolymer produced byGluconacetobacter xylinususing hydrolyzed collagen and phenolic compounds from teas and grape pomace (GP) in an optimized culture medium. Biopolymers were impregnated with an antibiotic to investigate possible antibacterial activities. Hybrid bacterial cellulose (BC)-collagen membranes obtained from cultures with green tea and a ternary mixture (TM) of teas with GP presented a high concentration of phenolic compounds (879.7 and 1312.8 mg gallic acid equivalent per liter) and antioxidant activity (973.3 and 575.9 mmol/g), respectively. BC membranes included a nanodimensional network of microfibrils, and the addition of hydrolyzed collagen in the TM of teas in situ resulted in thicker structures with improved mechanical properties. BC-collagen membranes pretreated with cephalexin exhibited significant inhibition againstEscherichia coliandStaphylococcus aureus. The enrichment of the culture media with plant phenolic compounds and collagen resulted in the formation of hybrid BC membranes in a shorter time when compared to those produced without these components. Membranes modified with bioactive compounds in situ and antibiotics ex situ can be turned into potential products for application in biomaterials with antioxidant activity.