Novel Technologies for Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) Production

The study of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) has been ongoing for more than four decades, and various PHAs have been synthesized over the past years. Recent trends in the production of eco-friendly bioplastics have been stimulated by a significant global pollutant: plastic and microplastics, which have turned this area into a field of deep research interest with remarkable applications. The biodegradability of PHAs has made their use not just limited to bioplastics; they are now employed in many areas such as medicine, cosmetics, agriculture, and more. One of the most prominent solutions to the accumulation of plastic is biodegradable and biocompatible polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), generated from plants and microorganisms, which have been widely used in food packaging and the biomedical sector with pharmaceutical applications. Despite having a limited market share, the high demand for this environmentally friendly 98product has compelled the scientific community to find economically feasible methods for the production of PHAs. Therefore, new methods and technologies have been integrated, such as various kinds of feedstocks like organic solids, animal-based waste streams, food scraps, and their PHA-synthesizing enzymes at the molecular level. Additionally, different supercritical solvent extraction methods, such as sodium hypochlorite extraction, extraction using DMSO, SDS sonication, and ultrasoundassisted extraction, have been applied. A new emerging technique, CRISPR/Cas9, can modify the metabolic pathway for the production of PHAs, thereby reducing the time required. Ionic liquids, hypotonic cell disintegration for the release of PHA granules, switchable anionic surfactants, and green solvents under high pressure are also being used as novel technologies for sustainable polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production.