Chronic ulcers are among the main causes of morbidity and mortality due to the high probability of infection and sepsis and therefore exert a significant impact on public health resources. Numerous types of dressings are used for the treatment of skin ulcers-each with different advantages and disadvantages. Bacterial cellulose (BC) has received enormous interest in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and medical fields due to its biological, physical, and mechanical characteristics, which enable the creation of polymer composites and blends with broad applications. In the medical field, BC was at first used in wound dressings, tissue regeneration, and artificial blood vessels. This material is suitable for treating various skin diseases due its considerable fluid retention and medication loading properties. BC membranes are used as a temporary dressing for skin treatments due to their excellent fit to the body, reduction in pain, and acceleration of epithelial regeneration. BC-based composites and blends have been evaluated and synthesized both in vitro and in vivo to create an ideal microenvironment for wound healing. This review describes different methods of producing and handling BC for use in the medical field and highlights the qualities of BC in detail with emphasis on biomedical reports that demonstrate its utility. Moreover, it gives an account of biomedical applications, especially for tissue engineering and wound dressing materials reported until date. This review also includes patents of BC applied as a wound dressing material.

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The growing interest in innovations regarding the treatment of oily wastewater stems from the fact that the oil industry is the largest polluter of the environment. The harm caused by this industry is seen in all countries. Companies that produce such wastewater are responsible for its treatment prior to disposal or recycling into their production processes. As oil emulsions are difficult to manage and require different types of treatment or even combined methods, a range of environmental technologies have been proposed for oil-contaminated effluents, such as gravity separation, flotation, flocculation, biological treatment, advanced oxidation processes, and membranes. Natural materials, such as biopolymers, constitute a novel, sustainable solution with considerable potential for oily effluent separation. The present review offers an overview of the treatment of oily wastewater, describing current trends and the latest applications. This review also points to further research needs and major concerns, especially with regards to sustainability, and discusses potential biotechnological applications.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a versatile material produced by microorganisms in the form of a hydrogel film with high water retention capacity, porosity, and mechanical strength. BC can incorporate and release substances, making it an interesting polymer for use in the cosmetic and biomedical industries. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of a bacterium for the production of cellulose films in which propolis extract was added in situ and ex situ (during and after membrane production, respectively) with promising use as a skincare product. The bacterium Gluconacetobacter hansenii was grown in standard Hestrin–Schramm (HS) medium as well as HS medium with propolis extract for 7 days. A radiolytic process with 60Co was investigated as a safe sterilization method. The average yield was 120.55 ± 2.40 g of cellulose/L. The polymeric system exhibited antioxidant activity (15.16% inhibition of oxidant activity) and high water‐retention capacity (98.01 ± 0.17%). In conclusion, natural additives can provide the antioxidant characteristics of BC. Moreover, gamma irradiation proved to be an effective sterilization method, while maintaining the properties of the material.