Prospects of Biodegradable Polymer (Polyhydroxyalkanoate) production with wastewater

Abstract

Plastic production and accumulation have devastating environmental effects, and consequently, the world is in need to focus on environmentally friendly plastic substitutes such as sustainable biofuels, biomaterials, and fine chemicals production. Polyhydroxyalkanoates represent one of the biomaterials of the future due to their physicochemical properties, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. Despite having comparable characteristics to common plastics, extensive PHA use is still hampered by its high production cost. PHAs are by-product of bacterial metabolism, and one of the major costs associated with their production derives from the carbon source used for bacterial fermentation. This study illustrates the individual research articles in the current global researches and development landscape related to polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production with cheap carbon source; mainly wastewater. In this dissertation, summary of the relevant research carried out with bacterial culture as well as the challenges and opportunities regarding polyhydroxyalkanoate production are presented and discussed in both global and national perspective. Basic concepts, regarding the metabolism and microbiology along with technological approaches with feedstock evaluation process engineering and polymer processing towards high-value marketable products are also described.