A Two-Stage Process for the Autotrophic and Mixotrophic Conversion of C1 Gases into Bacterial Cellulose

Gas fermentation is a well-established process for the conversion of greenhouse gases from industrial wastes into valuable multi-carbon chemicals. Here, a two-stage process was developed to expand the product range of gas fermentation and synthesized the versatile biopolymer bacterial cellulose (BC). In the first stage, the acetogen Clostridium autoethanogenum was cultivated with H2:CO:CO2 and produced ethanol and acetate. In the second stage, BC-synthesizing Komagataeibacter sucrofermentans was grown in the spent medium from gas fermentation. K. sucrofermentans was able to produce BC autotrophically from gas-derived metabolites alone as well as mixotrophically with the addition of exogenous glucose. In these circumstances, 1.31 g/L BC was synthesized with a major energetic contribution from C1 gas fermentation products. Mixotrophic BC characterization reveals unique properties including augmented mechanical strength, porosity, and crystallinity. This proof-of-concept process demonstrates that BC can be produced from gases and holds good potential for the efficient conversion of C1 wastes.