Polyhydroxyalkanoates Production: A Challenge for the Plastic Industry

Abstract

The accumulation of petroleum-based plastics in the environment has heightened the necessity of finding alternative materials with similar properties and lower environmental impact. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a group of naturally occurring polyesters that have been investigated for several decades as potential substitutes for commonly used plastics. PHAs are biodegradable and biocompatible polymers derived from renewable resources. From this point of view, their industrial implementation represents an attractive strategy to reduce plastic pollution and petroleum dependency. Nevertheless, the high production costs related to these materials have considerably hindered their broader use and commercialization. In this regard, several approaches have been proposed to turn their production competitive from a commercial perspective. For instance, several studies have scrutinized the different production steps of PHAs in terms of economic viability. Reported strategies include optimization of fermentation processes; selection, isolation, and genetic modification of microbial strains; selection of low-cost renewable raw materials; and more efficient separation processes of the produced PHAs. This review summarizes the main advantages and disadvantages of different strategies proposed to improve the competitiveness of PHAs production; potential applications of PHAs manufactured by these different methods, as well as the main challenges to be overcome to develop economically viable industrial processes, are discussed in detail.