Production of Biocompatible Bacterial Cellulose-Chitosan Composite from Nata de Coco (Acetobacter xylinum) and Squid Gladius (Sepioteuthis lessoniana)

Abstract

The increasing demand of sustainable biocompatible composites of bacterial cellulose (BC) and chitosan (C) has grown much attention in the past years. In this study, a biocompatible bacterial cellulose–chitosan composite (BCC) was produced from Nata de Coco (NC) and Squid Gladius (SG) as the source of BC and C respectively. The effects of varying chitosan concentrations (2%, 5%, 8% w/v) on the composite’s physicochemical properties—including morphology, water holding capacity, and tensile strength—along with its biocompatibility in Simulated Body Fluid (SBF), were investigated. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed that the BCC composite exhibited a denser and more homogenized structure compared to the native BC pellicle. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis showed characteristic spectra for the pellicles between 2800 and 1200 cm⁻¹, with distinct bands for amide groups observed at 1613, 1550, and 1337 cm⁻¹, indicating the presence of chitosan. Among the composites, the BCC containing 8% w/v chitosan demonstrated the highest water holding capacity (581%), while the composite with 5% w/v chitosan exhibited superior tensile strength. SEM images of BCC samples subjected to the SBF process showed gradual hydroxyapatite (HaP) crystal formation, with a Ca-P ratio approaching 1.67 by the third day, as confirmed by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), indicating promising biocompatibility. FTIR analysis also revealed typical absorption bands of HaP, including peaks at 3555 and 622 cm⁻¹ corresponding to the stretching and liberation modes of hydrogen-bonded ions, respectively. The findings of this study highlight the potential of producing biopolymers from biomass sources, paving the way for their application in wound dressing materials and other biomedical uses.