The treatment of fruit-rind waste into cellulose by Acetobacter sp. RMG-2 bacteria

Abstract

Melliawati R, Nuryati, Magfiroh L. 2015. The treatment of fruit-rind waste into cellulose by Acetobacter sp. RMG-2 bacteria. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 1 (2): 300-305. Waste of fruit rind is a good media for growth of microorganisms. The purpose of this research is to obtain alternative raw materials for cellulose (nata) production by examining the rind of five different fruits, namely sapota (Acrhras zapota L.), apples (Malus sylvestris L.), sugar-apple (Annona squamosa L.), mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.), and pear (Pyrus bretschneiden) as the production media. Acetobacter sp. RMG-2 was used the inoculum for the cellulose production. Extracts of fruit rinds were combined with coconut milk in various composition to get the best cellulose production. Media composed by 100% fruit rind extract (GAA-SW1) produced cellulose up to 24.1 g wet weight (1.6 g dry weight) with cellulose thickness averaged at 1.2 cm. While 100%-extract of pear rind produced up to 1.3 cm thickness of cellulose and wet weight of 42.4 g (1.95 g dry weight). Apple rind extract (100%) produced a relatively thin (0.2 cm) cellulose with wet weight 2.5 g (0.2 g dry weight). The combination of apple rinds and coconut water (25%: 75%) gave better results with cellulose thickness at 1.7 cm. Sugar-apple and mangosteen rind extract can not be used as a fermentation media for bacteria Acetobacter sp. RMG-2. Rinds of those two fruits is likely to contain high antibacterial compounds so that bacteria are not able to grow and to produce cellulose. Extracts of pear and sapota rinds (100%) can be used as an alternative raw material for making cellulose.