Living Membranes in Kombucha Cultures Could Prevent Water Filters From Clogging, Study Says

Ultrafiltration membrane systems currently available on the market are quite expensive not just for the general public but also for private enterprises. Although most products are promoted with strong purifying effects on water, an underlying problem over clogging is imminent. The issue is brought by the excessive volumes of particles and other microorganisms that build-up to the membranes, causing an unnecessary blockage that decreases water flow and damages the mediums themselves.

In recent technological advancements, living filtration membranes have been considered the best alternative for the traditional sieving systems of our time. The filters commonly utilized for the filters are microscopic organisms grown with kombucha cultures. EurekAlert reported that these filters are made with dense structures of bacterial cellulose that are stacked with each other.

Ultrafiltration of Water by Kombucha Cultures

A new study suggests that this system is perfect for filtering water, as they are proven to be more resistant against biofouling and clogging. According to the authors, the new sieving system could be an efficient and cheaper option if developed and distributed to the market instead of conventional ultrafilter systems.

Decontamination of waters may seem easy, but the process behind it is complex and requires a series of various filtration systems. Making these devices is challenging, considering that failure to secure clean water will put public health at risk. Among the systems that are included to process water consists of materials that have a high chance of removing impurities and pathogens that produce diseases.

The main function of water filtrations is to eliminate dangerous problems, such as parasites, bacteria, and viruses that could harm consumers. In traditional water filters, polymer-based materials are commonly applied. However, the lifetime of this type of filter is known to be limited due to the cloggings in their pores.

Clogging is quick to form, especially when the materials trapped by the filters consist of microorganisms with sticky structures. When these contaminants are plugged into the holes, their glue-like biofilms cover the available passages, speeding up the life of selected filters.

A previous study led by experts from the Montana Technological University suggests a solution to end this problem. According to the paper, the answer may be provided through the same mechanism used to ferment and filter the famous kombucha beverage. In this process, the living membranes of bacterial cellulose are developed in a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY).

The authors said that membranes extracted from the kombucha filtration process could be developed in various particle sizes. Due to their biological features, the living membranes could heal themselves after several operations. The most abundant population being extracted from SCOBY are families that could sustainably provide acetic acid, a type of composition that could eliminate biofilm-producing bacteria.

Living Membranes: Sustainable, Affordable, and Effective Water Filter Alternative

In the new research, the sustainable living capacity of these cultures was tested to find if they are good enough to be an alternative for commercial polymer membranes. By mixing the kombucha SCOBY with a specialized compound, a porous type of membrane along with the bacteria Acetobacter manifested on the culture. The membrane appeared right after the culture made contact with the natural air.

The living membrane was then tested to filter water in reservoirs located in Montana. When compared with the commercial membrane, the living membrane had a similar life span during filtration. However, the living membrane performed better in terms of fouling resistance and filtering process, regardless of the contaminant severity in the water samples.

The team concluded that through the power of acetic acid-producing bacteria in the membranes, other bacterias that grow biofilms are discouraged from doing so. The alternative could work as an effective, affordable, and biodegradable water filter soon after additional developments. The study was published in ACS Publications, titled "Living Filtration Membranes Demonstrate Antibiofouling Properties."

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