Production of Medium Chain Length polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymers from agro-industrial waste streams

Abstract

Biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers are an increasingly sought-after solution for the planet's growing plastic pollution problem. Market shifts driven by increasing legislative pressures, changing consumer demands, and an overall need for businesses to focus more on sustainability are compelling the packaging industry to seek out alternative biopolymer solutions. The natural bacterial carbon storage polymer, PHAs, are considered an interesting answer to this because of their marine biodegradability, ability to be made from a variety of waste resources, and the advantageous physical properties they can present in the form of advanced medium-chain length (MCL) copolymers. However, there has been a relative dearth of research effort and literature review with regard to the combination of these last two aspects – production of advanced MCL-PHA copolymers from waste resources. The sum of these may yield more commercially viable technologies that can help solve pressing environmental and commercial problems.