Use of bacterial cellulose produced by Kombucha drink for the manufacture of biotextiles for the benefit of sustainability

Textile industry is one of the most complex sectors in relation to environmental degradation, both with regard to the materials used and the manufacturing and disposal processes. One way to mitigate negative environmental impacts is the use of microorganisms such as bacterial cellulose (BC) in the formation of biomaterials considered biodegradable. One of the ways to obtain bacterial cellulose is through the production of the probiotic drink Kombucha. Thus, BC production was carried out through the fermentation of teas belonging to the Camellia sinensis family and a sweetener, with the addition of a culture based on the symbiosis of bacteria and yeasts. Then, two methods of purification were used, the traditional method using NaOH solution (BC_NaOH) and the sterilization method using a non-thermal plasma reactor (BC_NTP). A control sample was also maintained, BC_Untreated was left in the medium without any treatment. Thus, the characterization of the surface was carried out to investigate the purification of the membranes and the possibility of using NTP in the Textile Industry. Finally, a discussion is also presented relating biotechnology production to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in order to understand what goals can be achieved with this approach.