The sustainability of microbial bioplastics, production and applications

Plastic accumulation has destructive environmental impacts, so the world needs eco-friendly plastic alternatives. Within this context, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) appear to be real alternatives to the chemical plastics because they are biocompatible and biodegradable. Despite its similar properties to common plastics, PHAs use is still hampered by higher production costs. PHAs are produced by high density fed-batch cultivation, activated sludge, microbial consortia and continuous substrate supply, and a major cost associated with their production is the carbon source used for bacterial fermentation. Therefore, novel carbon sources have been studied for PHA production including, macro algae, peanut oil, crude glycerol and whey. PHAs were applied in myriad fields such as wood production, food packaging, 3D painting, cancer detection, treating ulcers as well as several agricultural and therapeutic applications. In this review, current knowledge of methods and novel carbon sources enhance the sustainability and reliability of PHAs in the prospective future.