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Updated: May 8, 2026
10:22
Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
Published on: November 30, 2020
Microbial monomers custom-synthesized to build true bio-derived aromatic polymers
Tomoya Fujita1, Hieu Duc Nguyen, Takashi Ito
1Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan.
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
|August 17, 2013
Summary
Researchers developed a new method to produce aromatic bioplastics from glucose, a renewable resource. This process engineers bacteria to create beta-phenyllactic acid (PhLA), a building block for novel, sustainable polymers.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Polymer Science
- Microbial Engineering
Background:
- Aromatic polymers are valuable functional materials, but sustainable production from biomass is lacking.
- Current aromatic bioplastics are derived from petroleum, contributing to environmental concerns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a bio-based production method for aromatic monomers from glucose.
- To engineer microbial fermentation for producing beta-phenyllactic acid (PhLA).
Main Methods:
- Screening microbial metabolites for aromatic compounds.
- Engineering Escherichia coli strains for phenylalanine production.
- Fermenting glucose to produce optically pure D- and L-PhLA using specific enzymes (pprA and ldhA).
Main Results:
- Achieved high-yield fermentation of D-PhLA (29 g/l) from glucose.
- Synthesized poly(D-PhLA) with a molecular weight of 28,000.
- Characterized poly(D-PhLA) for its near-ultraviolet light absorption properties.
Conclusions:
- This study presents a novel bio-based route to aromatic polymers using glucose.
- The developed fermentation process offers a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics.
- This approach contributes to petroleum conservation and carbon dioxide fixation.
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