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The Role of Bacterial Polyhydroalkanoate (PHA) in a Sustainable Future: A Review on the Biological Diversity
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This review examines PHA biopolymers' potential to replace conventional plastics, assessing cost and property barriers to industrial-scale production and strategies for circular economy viability.
Environmental challenges related to the mismanagement of plastic waste became even more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The need for new solutions regarding the use of plastics came to the forefront again. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) have demonstrated their ability to replace conventional plastics, especially in packaging. Its biodegradability and biocompatibility makes this material a sustainable solution. The cost of PHA production and some weak physical properties compared to synthetic polymers remain as the main barriers to its implementation in the industry. The scientific community has been trying to solve these disadvantages associated with PHA. This review seeks to frame the role of PHA and bioplastics as substitutes for conventional plastics for a more sustainable future. It is focused on the bacterial production of PHA, highlighting the current limitations of the production process and, consequently, its implementation in the industry, as well as reviewing the alternatives to turn the production of bioplastics into a sustainable and circular economy.
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Production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymer from crop residue using bacteria as an alternative to plastics: a review
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This review examines how PHA, a biodegradable plastic made from crop waste using bacteria, could serve as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics. While PHA breaks down naturally unlike traditional plastics that fragment into microplastics, challenges remain in making it heat-stable and cost-competitive enough for widespread industrial use.
Bacterial Production of Hydroxyalkanoates (PHA)
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This review examines bacterial production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) as a biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based plastics, covering fermentation processes, scaling to industrial levels, and future trends, while noting that higher production costs currently prevent PHAs from competing commercially with conventional plastics.
Polyhydroxyalkanoates as multifaceted biopolymers: an eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastics.
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Plastic pollution and the microplastics it creates are a growing health concern, but this review paper looks at a promising fix: plastics made by bacteria instead of fossil fuels, called PHAs, which naturally break down without leaving lasting waste. The researchers summarize existing studies on how to grow and produce these bacteria-made plastics more efficiently and affordably, since high costs are still the main reason they haven't replaced regular plastic on store shelves. While PHAs aren't widely available yet, this research maps out what's needed to make them a real, scalable alternative that could reduce our exposure to plastic waste in the environment
A Review on Biological Synthesis of the Biodegradable Polymers Polyhydroxyalkanoates and the Development of Multiple Applications
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This review covers the biological production of polyhydroxyalkanoates, a family of biodegradable bioplastics that bacteria naturally produce from waste carbon sources. Researchers found that these biopolymers have properties similar to conventional plastics like polypropylene but can fully biodegrade, making them a promising alternative to petroleum-based plastics. The study emphasizes that scaling up production and establishing proper end-of-life management are critical steps for PHAs to compete with conventional plastics and help reduce microplastic pollution.
Waste to wealth: Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production from food waste for a sustainable packaging paradigm
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Review of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastic production from food waste, achieving up to 87% yield, with cost and scalability remaining barriers to industrial adoption.
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