Composition for embedded microbial culture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10538734-B2
Application number	US-201214368018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2012
Priority date	Dec 22, 2011
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed is a composition for embedded three-dimensional microbial culture, the composition including nanofibrillar cellulose and at least one nutrient source. Also disclosed is a method for the manufacture of a composition for embedded three-dimensional microbial culture, the method including the steps of providing nanofibrillar cellulose, mixing the nanofibrillar cellulose with water and at least one nutrient source and optional additives to obtain a mixture, and optionally drying the mixture.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A composition for embedded three-dimensional microbial culture, said composition comprising:
mechanically disintegrated plant derived nanofibrillar cellulose and at least one nutrient source, wherein the composition comprises 0.05-80 wt % of nanofibrillar cellulose, the composition being in the form of hydrogel, and wherein the composition has a liquid viscosity upon shearing such that the composition is dispensable, pumpable, or injectable; and
a plurality of microbes suspended homogenously in the composition.

2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the nanofibrillar cellulose is selected from native nanofibrillar celluloses and chemically modified nanofibrillar celluloses.

3. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the nanofibrillar cellulose is native ion-exchanged nanofibrillar cellulose.

4. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises water and optional additives.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the nanofibrillar cellulose is configured to form a stable gel in a polar solvent.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the nanofibrillar cellulose is partly covered with hemicellulose polysaccharides.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one nutrient source includes one or more metal ores.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of microbes include bacteria configured to convert insoluble metal compounds in the at least one nutrient source to water-soluble metal compounds.

9. A composition for microbial culture, said composition comprising:
mechanically disintegrated plant derived nanofibrillar cellulose in the form of a three-dimensional matrix;
at least one nutrient source; and
a plurality of microbes suspended homogenously in the composition,
the composition being in the form of a hydrogel, wherein the composition has a liquid viscosity upon shearing such that the composition is dispensable, pumpable, or injectable.

10. The composition of claim 9 , wherein the composition comprises 0.05-80 wt % of the nanofibrillar cellulose.

Assignees

• Upm Kymmene Corp

Inventors

• Lauraeus Marko
• Laukkanen Antti

Classifications

• C12N1/22 Primary

  Processes using, or culture media containing, cellulose or hydrolysates thereof · CPC title

• C12N1/20 Primary

  Bacteria; Culture media therefor · CPC title

• C08L1/02

  Cellulose; Modified cellulose · CPC title

• C12N11/12

  Cellulose or derivatives thereof · CPC title

• C12N11/04

  entrapped within the carrier, e.g. gel or hollow fibres · CPC title