Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a biomaterial studied for many biomedical applications. Static culture is a well-established method of producing BC at the air/liquid interface. While this method is the gold standard for producing BC, its yields are low due to the consumption of nutrients and oxygen that cannot be replenished without disrupting BC production. The ability to add extra nutrients and/or gases into the system without disrupting the culture would increase the yield that the culture is capable of. Standard static culture is not able to overcome this issue, ergo there is a need to develop a culture method with this capability. A bioreactor system to produce BC can address the issue, but current systems on the market are expensive. The goal of this project was to create a low-cost bioreactor system with the ability to add nutrients and/or gases without disrupting the culture. Based on current bioreactors in use, we have developed a low-cost bioreactor system capable of the addition of nutrients and gases without disrupting the culture. The system also possesses real-time monitoring capabilities to provide feedback on culture conditions.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Fenlon, Sawyer
• Claude, Isabelle
• Hay, Edward
• Williams, Catherine

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 64331
• E-project-042722-131424

Keyword

• Bacterial Cellulose
• Sterility
• Bioreactor
• Static Culture
• Production

Advisor

• Coburn, Jeannine M
• van Zyl, Elizabeth

Year

• 2022

Date created

• 2022-04-27

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biomedical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright