Polyhydroxyalkanoate sustainable

Abstract The most important aspect of any feedstock for industrial-scale production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is market stability. One would expect the feedstock to be sustainable in terms of supply, cost and quahty. In addition, recently, there is also growing concerns over the use of food-grade feedstock for making nonedible products such as fuel and material. Therefore, the selection of a feedstock for PHA production must take into consideration the effect on global food supply. This chapter presents the current scenario of the palm oil industry along with issues such as land management and conservation of biodiversity. In order to ensure the sustainability of PHA production from palm oil, several strategies are proposed. 

Keywords Biodiversity Malaysia Pahnoil Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Sustainability Spent cooking oil Palm oil by-products... 

Abstract Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) initially received serious attention as a possible substitute for petrochemical-based plastics because of the anticipated shortage in the supply of petroleum. Since then, PHA has remained as an interesting material to both the academia and indusby. Now, we know more about this microbial storage polyester and have developed efficient fermentation systems for the large-scale production of PHA. Besides sugars, plant oils will become one of the important feedstock for the industrial-scale production of PHA. In addition, PHA will find new apphcations in various areas. This chapter summarizes the future prospects and the importance of developing a sustainable production system for PHA. 

Li X-T, Zhang Y, Chen G-Q (2008) Nanofibrous polyhydroxyalkanoate matrices as cell growth supporting materials. Biomaterials 29 3720-3728 Lim S, Teong LK (2010) Recent trends, opportunities and challenges of biodiesel in Malaysia an overview. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 14 938-954 Lim YY, Sudesh K (Unpublished). 

Many bacteria can use glycerol as a carbon source. As it is a by-product of the production of bio-diesel it can be achieved chet ly. Therefore it seems to be a good alternative to glucose for die production of Polyhydroxyalkanoates. Sodiumvalerate is often used as a precursor in order to obtain the copolymer Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate. As Biorelated Potymers Sustainable Polymer Science and Technology Edited by Chiellini et al., Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, 2001 147... 

Braunegg, G., Bona, R., Schellauf, F. and Wallner, E. (2002) Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) Sustainable Biopolyester Production. Polimery, 47, 13-18. 

Braunegg G, Bona R, Roller M, Martinz J (2002) Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates a contribution of biotechnology to sustainable development. Proceedings of sustainable development and environmentally degradable plastics in China, Beijing, pp 56-71 Braunegg G, Bona R, Roller M (2004) Sustainable polymer production. Polym Plast Technol Eng 43 1779-1974... 

Sudesh K, Abe H, Doi Y (2000) Synthesis, structure and properties of polyhydroxyalkanoates biological polyesters. Prog Polym Sci 25(10) 1503-1555 Sudesh K, Iwata T (2008) Sustainability of biobased and biodegradable plastics. Clean 36 433-442 Taniguchi I, Kagotani K, Kimura Y (2003) Microbial production of poly(hydroxyalkanoate)s from waste edible oils. Green Chem 5 545-548... 

L. F. Silva, Making green polymers even greener Towards sustainable production of polyhydroxyalkanoates from agroindustrial by-products, ed. 

Pollet, Eric, and Luc Averous, Production, Chemistry and Properties of Polyhydroxyalkanoates, in Biopolymers New Materials for Sustainable Films and Coatings, David Plackett, Ed., WUey, Hoboken, NJ, pp. 65-86. 

Very recently, lactones have received increasing attention as potential renewable platform chemicals. Perhaps the most prominent bio-based hydroxy fatty acids lactic acid, whose cyclic ester of two lactate molecules serves precursor for the synthesis of bio-based polymers. Fermentative production of hydroxyl-carboxylic acids from agro-industrial waste is an alternative to the synthesis from dwindling fossil resources (Fiichtenbusch et al. 2000). The enzymatic machinery for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) in bacteria offers catalytic pathways for the production of these lactone precursors (Efe et al. 2008). Recent examples include the microbial synthesis of y-butyrolactone and y-valerolactone. Particularly y-valerolactone is of importance and ranks among the top key components of the biomass-based economy. Microbial processes thus offer the perspective of a sustainable fermentative production of optically pure renewable lactones. 

Jain, R., Costa, S., Tiwari, A. Polyhydroxyalkanoates a way to sustainable development of bioplastics. Citron Joung Sci. 2010, 1, 10-15. 

Polyhydroxyalkanoates are thought to have an interesting future as sustainable polyesters. For medical applications their price is acceptable, but for broader use for example as packaging materials their high price is still the main hinderness for the application of such materials. 

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