Isolation and Application of Cellulose and Nanocellulose from Agri-Food Residues

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 11060

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department for Sustainable Food Process (DiSTAS), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29100 Piacenza, Italy
Interests: antioxidants; bioactives; biotechnology; encapsulation; enzymes; extraction; food engineering; food waste; functional; fruit; rheology; shelf-life; valorisation; autohydrolysis; biorefinery; bioplastics; cellulose; coatings; food processing; lignocellulosic fractionation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department for Sustainable Food Process (DiSTAS), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29100 Piacenza, Italy
Interests: agri-food residues; biomass pretreatment; biorefinery; energy and economic optimization; food process modelling and simulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cellulose and nanocellulose recovery processes from agri-food residues are gaining attention due to their potential applications in the polymer, textile, pharmaceutical, biomedical, and food sectors. Some of the isolation processes currently undergoing extensive research and development are based on chemical–physical, catalytic, or enzymatic treatments. Proper characterization of the starting residue, operating temperature and pressure, energy consumptions, equipment costs, side-stream generation, and chemical and functional characterization of the obtained cellulose/nanocellulose are some of the key factors for the successful industrial-scale implementation of cellulose/nanocellulose isolation and application strategies, while considering an environmentally friendly perspective. The development of suitable mathematical models can help in understanding the most important features of such processes and identify the optimal conditions for maximum economic yield. In this Special Issue, we invite submissions exploring cutting-edge research and recent advances in the fields of cellulose and nanocellulose recovery and isolation processes from agri-food residues, as well as in the fields of cellulose and nanocellulose applications in different sectors. Experimental studies, comprehensive reviews and survey papers are welcome, as well as studies concerning the development and validation of process mathematical models.

Prof. Dr. Giorgia Spigno
Dr. Andrea Bassani
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • agri-food residues
  • cellulose
  • nanocellulose
  • biomass pretreatment
  • biomass characterisation
  • fractionation
  • hydrolysis
  • lignocellulosic fractionation
  • modelling
  • process simulation

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2351 KiB  
Article
Obtaining Bacterial Cellulose through Selected Strains of Acetic Acid Bacteria in Classical and Waste Media
by Justyna Płoska, Monika Garbowska, Simona Klempová and Lidia Stasiak-Różańska
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6429; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116429 - 24 May 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1722
Abstract
Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a natural exopolysaccharide characterized by a high purity, mechanical strength, and the ability to absorb various compounds. Obtaining BC on an industrial scale is expensive, mainly due to the high cost of the culture media. Replacing classical media with [...] Read more.
Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a natural exopolysaccharide characterized by a high purity, mechanical strength, and the ability to absorb various compounds. Obtaining BC on an industrial scale is expensive, mainly due to the high cost of the culture media. Replacing classical media with waste from the agri-food industry may be a promising way to reduce the costs when obtaining BC. The aim of these studies was to compare the effectiveness of the biosynthesis of BC in classical and waste media using two strains, Komagataeibacter xylinus K2G30 and Gluconacetobacter hansenii ATCC 23769. Classical Hestrin−Schramm, YPM, GY, and GYE media were used. The waste media were banana peels, celery pomace, fish waste, hemp seed pomace, deproteinized acid whey (DAW), and non-deproteinized acid whey (NDAW). The highest efficiency of BC biosynthesis in classical media was observed in YPM and it was 5.23 g·dm−3 with K. xylinus K2G30. In the waste media, the highest yield of BC was observed in AW, when the yield of BC was 2.99 g·dm−3 with K. xylinus K2G30. In addition, it was demonstrated that the presence of proteins and lactic acid in AW influenced the efficiency when obtaining BC in the culture of K. xylinus. The results indicate that it is possible to obtain BC from industrial waste, especially from AW. Full article
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Review

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27 pages, 2425 KiB  
Review
Recent Advancements in the Valorization of Agro-Industrial Food Waste for the Production of Nanocellulose
by Parushi Nargotra, Vishal Sharma, Mei-Ling Tsai, Shu-Ling Hsieh, Cheng-Di Dong, Hui-Min David Wang and Chia-Hung Kuo
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(10), 6159; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13106159 - 17 May 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1987
Abstract
The rising climate change concerns over the excessive exploitation of non-renewable sources have necessitated the need for alternative renewable and eco-friendly resources for the production of innovative materials, achieving the targets of bioeconomy. Lignocellulosic biomass (LB) constituted by polymeric sugars and lignin is [...] Read more.
The rising climate change concerns over the excessive exploitation of non-renewable sources have necessitated the need for alternative renewable and eco-friendly resources for the production of innovative materials, achieving the targets of bioeconomy. Lignocellulosic biomass (LB) constituted by polymeric sugars and lignin is an abundantly available plant-based renewable material in the form of agro-industrial food waste and crop residues that can be exploited for the production of an array of value-added chemicals and bioproducts. Cellulose is the most abundant natural and biodegradable organic polymer on earth derived from LB, with wide scale applications in the lignocellulosic biorefineries and food industries. The negative effects of food waste from agro-industrial activities could be reduced through the recovery of cellulose from these wastes and converting it into valuable forms. However, the extraction of cellulose from LB is a difficult task owing to the recalcitrant nature of biomass that restricts the easy accessibility of cellulose for value addition. Therefore, a suitable cellulose extraction method through the fractionation of LB is necessary for a better cellulose yield. Furthermore, owing to the enormous potential of nanocellulose (NC), researchers are keenly interested in developing ecologically acceptable cellulose extraction methods. Cellulose nanofibrils and nanocrystals confer excellent mechanical properties, non-toxic characteristics and biodegradability, due to which they possess wide-scale applications in diverse industrial sectors. The current review emphasizes the potential role of cellulose extraction and NC production from agro-food waste. The different pretreatment methods for their extraction from LB are outlined. The applications of nanocellulose in different areas are also discussed. The review also highlights the recent trends, challenges and future directions in the development of cellulose and NC-based commercial products. Full article
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21 pages, 2232 KiB  
Review
A Review of Properties of Nanocellulose, Its Synthesis, and Potential in Biomedical Applications
by Aayushi Randhawa, Sayan Deb Dutta, Keya Ganguly, Tejal V. Patil, Dinesh K. Patel and Ki-Taek Lim
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(14), 7090; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12147090 - 14 Jul 2022
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 6648
Abstract
Cellulose is the most venerable and essential natural polymer on the planet and is drawing greater attention in the form of nanocellulose, considered an innovative and influential material in the biomedical field. Because of its exceptional physicochemical characteristics, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and high mechanical [...] Read more.
Cellulose is the most venerable and essential natural polymer on the planet and is drawing greater attention in the form of nanocellulose, considered an innovative and influential material in the biomedical field. Because of its exceptional physicochemical characteristics, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and high mechanical strength, nanocellulose attracts considerable scientific attention. Plants, algae, and microorganisms are some of the familiar sources of nanocellulose and are usually grouped as cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), cellulose nanofibril (CNF), and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC). The current review briefly highlights nanocellulose classification and its attractive properties. Further functionalization or chemical modifications enhance the effectiveness and biodegradability of nanocellulose. Nanocellulose-based composites, printing methods, and their potential applications in the biomedical field have also been introduced herein. Finally, the study is summarized with future prospects and challenges associated with the nanocellulose-based materials to promote studies resolving the current issues related to nanocellulose for tissue engineering applications. Full article
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