Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) Production From Microalgae Cultivated in Wastewater

Abstract

Plastic materials compose a wide range of products with small useful lifespans, leading to the production of large quantities of waste. A more easily biodegradable alternative tο fossil-based plastics are bioplastics. Microalgae can produce poly (hydroxy alkanoate) esters (PHAs), which are biodegradable aliphatic polyesters. Poly (3-hydroxy butyrate) ester (PHB), belonging to the short-chain PHAs, is the most common and well characterized biopolymer. PHB compounds can be completely broken down into carbon dioxide and water under aerobic conditions and are characterized as environmentally friendly, with their thermal and mechanical properties being comparable to those of petrochemical polymers. A large number of microalgae species have been reported in literature as an alternative source of energy and carbon. In order to further mitigate the environmental footprint of microalgae cultivation for bioplastics production, a small number of published works have examined bioplastic production from microalgae cultivated in wastewater, reaching 5.5-6.5% of dry biomass weight.