No abstract

biodegradable and produced from renewable sources. In this study, evaluation and characterization of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) produced by Cupriavidus necator (IPT 026 and IPT 027) and Burkholderia cepacia (IPT 119 and IPT 400), using crude glycerol as substrate, were carried out (crude glycerol 15 g L-1 , pH 7.0, 150 rpm, 72h). The substrate chemical composition was determined and all microorganisms tested were able to utilize it to synthesize PHA. C. necator IPT 026 exhibited the highest polymer production (1.52 ± 0.03 g L-1). B. cepacia strains produced low crystallinity PHA. All polyesters synthesized exhibited long chain length polymers with low polydispersity and initial thermal degradation temperatures superior to 300°C. The microorganism strains and the substrate composition highly affected PHAs synthesis, composition and thermochemical characteristics.