Valorizing date waste into functional bacterial nanocellulose with dual adsorption–antifouling properties for wastewater remediation

The valorization of agro-industrial byproducts is crucial for establishing circular bioeconomies. This study presents a novel approach to produce bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) using date seeds (DS) and pomace (DP) as sustainable, low-cost carbon feedstocks for Komagataeibacter hansenii and examines whether feedstock chemistry alone can program the functionality of BNC. DP and DS extracts presented contrasting soluble profiles, which translated into differences in BNC yield and function. DP-BNC showed superior production and hydration (WUC = 552 ± 31 % vs 480 ± 25 % for DS-BNC) and retained the cellulose I structure. Spectroscopic studies indicated the in situ incorporation of hydrophilic motifs, and ζ-potential measurements at pH 7 revealed a negative surface charge (∼ −25.6 mV) of BNC. Furthermore, DP-BNC functioned as a highly effective biosorbent, achieving adsorption capacities of 4.62 ± 0.26 mg/g for the cationic dye Crystal Violet (CV) and 3.85 ± 0.20 mg/g for Methyl Orange (MO), with pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir equilibria; capacities were retained at ∼52 % for CV and ∼48 % for MO till the fifth cycle. Antifouling assays demonstrated 41.4 % lower BSA adsorption and 93.1 % lower Escherichia coli colonization on DP-BNC compared to DS-BNC. This research establishes a pragmatic pathway for transforming low-value dates residues into a high-performance biomaterial.