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Polyhydroxyalkanoates as Sustainable Agricultural Plastics: Processing Strategies, Performance, and Environmental Perspectives
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This review paper rounds up existing research on PHAs, plant-derived plastics that naturally break down in soil, as a promising swap for the plastic sheeting and containers commonly used in farming today. That matters because conventional farm plastics shed microplastics into soil and crops over time, potentially entering our food supply, and this study highlights how these biodegradable alternatives could reduce that contamination while noting that cost and durability challenges still need to be solved before widespread use.
ABSTRACT The widespread use of synthetic plastics in agriculture has significantly enhanced crop productivity and resource efficiency, but it has also generated severe and long‐lasting environmental challenges, including microplastic accumulation and soil degradation. Developing bio‐based and biodegradable alternatives that can perform effectively under agricultural conditions is therefore essential to advancing sustainable farming and environmental protection. This review critically examines polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a versatile family of biodegradable polyesters derived from natural sources, as promising substitutes for conventional agricultural plastics. Emphasis is placed on the relationships between polymer structure, processing behavior, and resulting mechanical and biodegradation properties that determine their suitability for key applications such as mulch films, seedling trays, and growth foams. Recent progress in blending strategies, additive incorporation and melt processing of PHAs, aimed at improving processability and mechanical performance, is discussed in detail. The review also identifies major challenges related to cost, scalability, and environmental performance under real‐field conditions, and highlights future research directions toward optimizing PHAs for circular and climate‐resilient agricultural systems.
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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.
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
Valorization of Agri-Food Waste into PHA and Bioplastics: From Waste Selection to Transformation
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This review examines how food and farming waste can be converted into biodegradable bioplastics called PHAs, which could replace petroleum-based plastics. The process uses bacteria to transform waste materials like whey and potato peelings into plastic that naturally breaks down. Developing viable alternatives to conventional plastics is critical for reducing the flow of microplastics into the environment and human food chain.
PHA-Based Bioplastic: a Potential Alternative to Address Microplastic Pollution
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This review examines polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-based bioplastics as biodegradable alternatives to petroleum-derived plastics, highlighting their potential to reduce microplastic pollution while discussing challenges in scaling production and improving material properties.
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.
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