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Life cycle design of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)
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This review summarizes advances in polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastic production — including engineered microbes, seawater-based manufacturing, and chemical recycling — showing that PHAs offer lower greenhouse gas emissions and fossil-resource use than conventional plastics, while remaining challenges include reducing production costs and standardizing biodegradation frameworks.
The global plastic crisis demands sustainable polymer design and production across the full life cycle. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a family of biodegradable polyesters produced by microorganisms, provide a representative model for circular material development and applications. This review summarizes advances in microbial chassis engineering, seawater-based Halomonas biomanufacturing, and low-energy downstream processing that together reduce freshwater use, energy input, and process complexity. The structural versatility of PHA supports applications ranging from compostable packaging to long-term biomedical devices. End-of-life options, including biodegradation, anaerobic digestion, and chemical recycling, enable efficient material recovery, and reintegration into natural carbon cycles. Life cycle assessments consistently show reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions, fossil-resource dependence, and marine eutrophication relative to conventional plastics. Remaining challenges include lowering production costs, improving material performance, and developing standardized biodegradation and circular-economy frameworks. Integration on synthetic biology, materials science, and industrial ecology help shape design principles for sustainable PHA-based polymer systems.
More Papers Like This
Biodegradability of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolyesters in nature: a review
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This comprehensive review examined the biodegradation of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) biopolyesters in fresh water, sea water, soil, and composting and anaerobic conditions, comparing how monomer composition and microstructure influence biodegradation rates across environments. The review synthesized information from over 150 identified PHA building blocks, arguing that PHA's natural circularity via microbial enzymatic biodegradation and production from renewable carbon sources positions it as a gold standard sustainable alternative to fossil-based plastics.
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) – Production, Properties, and Biodegradation
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This review covers polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a class of microbially produced biopolyesters, discussing raw material innovation, microbial producer strains, bioengineering approaches for improved yields, and end-of-life biodegradation options. PHAs are presented as a genuinely circular plastic alternative due to their renewable production, biodegradability, and compatibility with existing plastic applications including food packaging.
Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Bio-polyesters – Circular Materials for Sustainable Development and Growth
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This review examines polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers as circular carbon materials produced from renewable feedstocks and biodegradable across diverse environments, arguing that PHAs offer a more genuine solution to microplastic pollution than conventional bioplastics that require industrial composting.
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.
Biosynthesis of Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) by the Valorization of Biomass and Synthetic Waste
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This paper explores the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), biodegradable microbial polymers, from biomass and waste feedstocks as a sustainable alternative to conventional synthetic plastics. PHAs can be naturally synthesized by bacteria, offering a pathway to biodegradable plastics that do not persist as microplastic pollution.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.