Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Bioprospecting of Extremophilic Microorganisms to Address Environmental Pollution
Published on: December 30, 2021
Lactic acid bacteria-enclosing poly(epsilon-caprolactone) microcapsules as soil bioamendment
Takayuki Takei1, Masahiro Yoshida, Yasuo Hatate
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
Abstract:
Free plant growth-promoting bacteria in soil bioamendments (SBA) are easily outnumbered by competitors and predators in agricultural soils. Microencapsulation of the bacteria is an effective technique that provides a suitable microenvironment for their survival. In this study, we attempted to prepare poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) microcapsules enclosing lactic acid bacteria (LAB), a plant growth-promoting bacteria, using the solvent-evaporation method via water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsion. Three preparation parameters in the emulsion system were optimized based on the lactic acid production activity of the encapsulated LAB. A sodium alginate aqueous solution suspending the bacteria, a dichloromethane solution with dissolved PCL, and a poly(vinyl alcohol) aqueous solution were used as the inner aqueous phase (W(i)), the oil phase (O), and the outer aqueous phase (W(o)), respectively. Suitable volume ratio of W(i) to O, concentration of sodium alginate in W(i), and the molecular weight of PCL in O were 0.1, 1.0%, and 40 kDa, respectively. The lactic acid production activity of the microcapsules prepared under the optimized conditions was approximately nine times higher than that of commercial SBA. Application to soil demonstrated that the microcapsules are effective in the removal of the root-knot nematodes.
More Related Videos
10:23Characterizing Mediated Extracellular Electron Transfer in Lactic Acid Bacteria with a Three-Electrode, Two-Chamber Bioelectrochemical System
Published on: August 23, 2024
07:51A Gnotobiotic System for Studying Microbiome Assembly in the Phyllosphere and in Vegetable Fermentation
Published on: June 3, 2020
Related Concept Videos
Microbes in the Production of Fermented Foods
Production of Organic Acids
Microbes in Food Production
Production of Biopesticides
Bioplastics
Probiotics