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Recent advances in polyhydroxyalkanoate production by bacterial fermentation: mini-review
1Department of Chemical Engineering and BioProcess Engineering Research Center, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon, South Korea. leesy@sorak.kaist.ac.kr
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
|July 23, 1999
Summary
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), like Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)], are promising biodegradable plastics. Advances in bacterial fermentation, including using cheap feedstocks and optimized strategies, enable cost-effective production competitive with other biopolymers.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Polymer Science
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), including Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)], are gaining traction as biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastics.
- High production costs have historically limited the widespread adoption of PHAs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore and develop economical production methods for P(3HB) and other PHAs.
- To enhance P(3HB) yield and productivity through optimized fermentation strategies and substrate utilization.
Main Methods:
- Development of novel fermentation strategies using wild-type and recombinant bacterial strains.
- Implementation of processes utilizing inexpensive carbon substrates for P(3HB) production.
- Optimization of high cell density cultures for efficient medium chain length PHA production.
Main Results:
- Achieved P(3HB) content up to 80% of cell dry weight.
- Reached production productivity exceeding 4 g/l per hour.
- Demonstrated cost-effective production of P(3HB) and PHAs via bacterial fermentation, approaching $2/kg.
Conclusions:
- Significant advancements in bacterial fermentation have made P(3HB) and PHAs economically viable.
- These biopolymers are now competitive with other biodegradable polymers in terms of cost.
- Bacterial fermentation offers a scalable and cost-effective route for producing sustainable plastic alternatives.