AimsObtain varieties of Gluconacetobacter hansenii from original strain ATCC 23729 with greater efficiency to produce bacterial cellulose (BC) membrane with better dry mass yield for application as support of sustained antimicrobials' drug release. Methods and resultsApplication of different chemical and physical conditions (pH, temperature and UV light exposure) to obtain different G. hansenii varieties with high capacity to produce BC membranes. Characterization of the G. hansenii variants was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy of the colony-forming units. BC membrane produced was characterized by SEM, infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The BC produced by variants isolated after incubation at 35 degrees C showed elevated dry mass yield and high capacity of retention and sustained release of ceftriaxone antibiotic with the produced BC by original G. hansenii ATCC 23769 strain subjected to incubation at 28 degrees C and with commercial BC. ConclusionThe application of different chemical and physical conditions constitutes an important method to obtain varieties of micro-organisms with dissimilar metabolism advantageous in relation to the original strain in the BC production. Significance and Impact of the StudyThese results demonstrate the importance of invivo studies for the application, in medicine, of BC membranes as support for antimicrobial-sustained release for the skin wound treatment.