Evaluation of the Potential of Bacterial Cellulose in the Treatment of Oily Waters (original) (raw)

2019, Chemical engineering transactions

Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on the planet and has a wide range of applications in different industrial sectors. Environmental preservation policies, on the other hand, promote the development of research to replace vegetable cellulose (VC), due to the fact that its production causes several damages to the environment. In this way, bacterial cellulose (BC) appears as a promising alternative to VC, since it differs from its vegetal similar mainly because it presents fibers of a nanometric character against the micrometric of the vegetable, which gives it excellent mechanical properties like greater purity, higher index of crystallinity, higher water absorption power and higher tensile strength. Thus, the present study was carried out for the development of a filter base on the use of BC membrane for the treatment of oily waters. BC membranes were initially produced in an alternative medium based on corn steep liquor (industrial waste) due to the fact that the standard pr...