Benchmarking Chemical Hydrolysis and Bacterial Biosynthesis Pathways for Nanocellulose: A Sustainability-Focused...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Sustainable Manufacturing
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Nanocellulose (NC) is a promising biomaterial with diverse applications.
• Production methods significantly impact NC sustainability and properties.
• Pineapple peel and microbial fermentation are explored as NC sources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To benchmark and compare two distinct nanocellulose production architectures.
• To evaluate the sustainability of hydrolyzed nanocellulose (HNC) versus bacterial nanocellulose (BNC).
• To provide a framework for future Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA).

Main Methods:

• Production of HNC via sulfuric-acid hydrolysis of pineapple peel.
• Biosynthesis of BNC using *Rhizobium leguminosarum*.
• Characterization using SEM, FTIR, AFM, and ζ-potential.
• Sustainability assessment using a multicriteria framework (VIME).

Main Results:

• BNC achieved a higher sustainability score (66) than HNC (51) using VIME.
• BNC demonstrated significantly lower water demand and fewer purification steps.
• HNC production time was faster (~7 days vs. ~18 days for BNC).
• AFM revealed distinct morphologies: BNC nanofibers (37 nm) vs. HNC lamellar fragments (70 nm).

Conclusions:

• Microbial biosynthesis (BNC) presents a more sustainable route for nanocellulose production compared to acid hydrolysis (HNC).
• BNC's advantages lie in reduced water usage, simpler purification, and lower waste hazards.
• The study provides essential data for future comprehensive LCA and TEA of nanocellulose production.