Equipment-Free Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Fabrication from Bacterial Cellulose-Derived Biomaterials via Waste-to-Wealth Conversion

Abstract The recent COVID-19 crisis necessitated the universal use of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits, generating tons of plastic wastes that inevitably lead to environmental damage. Circumventing the challenges stemming from such undesirable non-degradability on disposal, here we present an eco-friendly, robust, yet inexpensive and equipment-free method of growing biodegradable PPE fabrics by the fermentation of locally-sourced organic feed stocks in a rural livelihood. Using a pre-acclimatized symbiotic culture, we report the production of a high yield (up to 3.2 g fabric/g substrate) of bacterial cellulose, a biopolymer matrix, obtained by bacterial weaving. This membrane has an intricate, self-assembled, nano-porous 3D architecture formed by randomly oriented cellulose fibres. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that the pore size of the membrane turns out to be in the tune of 140 nanometers on the average, indicating that it can filter out viruses effectively. In-vitro results demonstrate assured breathability through the membrane for a filter thickness of approximately 5 microns. When subjected to soil degradation, the fabrics are seen to disintegrate rapidly and fully decompose within 15 days. With a favourable cost proposition of less than 1 US$ per meter square of the developed fabric unit, our approach stands out in providing a unique sustainable, and production-ready alternative to synthetic PPE fabrics, solving community healthcare and environmental crisis, and opening up new avenues sustainable under-served livelihood at the same time. Graphical abstract