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Polyhydroxyalkanoates production from laboratory to industrial scale: A review
Maria Bolla1, Margherita Pettinato2, Pier Francesco Ferrari3
1Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Genoa, via Opera Pia, 15, 16145 Genoa, Italy.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
|April 18, 2025
Summary
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) offer a biodegradable alternative to plastics. This review explores innovative production strategies to reduce costs and enhance PHA competitiveness for wider market adoption.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology and Chemical Engineering
- Sustainable Polymers
- Circular Economy
Background:
- Growing environmental concerns regarding fossil-based plastics necessitate sustainable alternatives.
- Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable, biocompatible polymers with potential to replace conventional plastics.
- High production costs currently limit widespread commercialization of PHAs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically review innovative and current process strategies for polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production.
- To evaluate these strategies from a plant-engineering perspective, focusing on cost reduction and productivity enhancement.
- To investigate the economic and market conditions influencing PHA adoption.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of pre-treated carbon sources from food and agro-industrial wastes for PHA feedstock.
- Evaluation of using mixed microbial cultures as cost-effective alternatives to pure cultures.
- Discussion of optimized downstream processing techniques for improved PHA recovery.
- Review of pilot and industrial-scale technologies for enhanced PHA yields.
Main Results:
- Innovative strategies, including waste-derived feedstocks and mixed microbial cultures, show promise for reducing PHA production costs.
- Optimized downstream processes and advanced technologies at pilot/industrial scales can significantly increase PHA productivity and recovery.
- These advancements are crucial for improving the market competitiveness of PHAs.
Conclusions:
- Process innovations are key to overcoming the economic barriers hindering widespread PHA adoption.
- Sustainable sourcing of feedstocks and efficient production/recovery methods are vital for realizing the potential of PHAs.
- Further development and scaling of these technologies will drive the integration of PHAs into the circular economy.
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