Production and characterization of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) co‐polymer by a N₂‐fixing cyanobacterium, Nostoc muscorum Agardh

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HB-co-3HV)] co-polymer has immense potential in the field of environmental and biomedical sciences as biodegradable and biocompatible material. The present study examines a filamentous N 2 -fixing cyanobacterium, Nostoc muscorum Agardh as a potent feedstock for P(3HB-co-3HV) co-polymer production and characterization of co-polymer film for commercial applications.

Cyanobacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates: an alternative source for plastics

“…Table 14.4 shows PHA accumulations in different cyanobacteria under mixotrophic growth conditions. In Nostoc muscorum, P(3HB-co-3HV) copolymer synthesis was detected under propionate as well as valerate-supplemented conditions Bhati and Mallick, 2012). All these results demonstrate that cyanobacteria are a promising source for PHA production.…”

“…This carbon-rich waste could be a desirable feedstock for PHA production, because mixotrophic growth conditions support high accumulations of PHAs (Table 14.4). In a photobioreactor study (Figure 14.3), different concentrations of poultry litter supplementation (5, 10, 15, and 20 g/l) stimulated the growth as well as PHB accumulation in Nostoc muscorum Agardh (Bhati, 2011). PHB accumulation was up to 23% (dcw) with 10 g/l poultry litter-supplementation, while the control value was 14% in BG-11 medium.…”

New technologies from the bioworld: selection of biopolymer-producing microalgae

“…This difference in yield is associated with the fact that the production of the polymer depends on the availability of the source of carbon and energy, which vary as a function of the culture time. Bhati and Mallick [13] studied the microalga Nostoc muscorum for the production of PHB-HV with yields of 16.6% in 10 d of incubation. For the same microalga, yields of different biopolymers were observed at different times using different carbon sources.…”

“…The biomass of Spirulina has been investigated for its hypocholesterolemic potential [8] , as a source of biofuels [9] and for biopolymer production [10][11][12] . Several genera and species of cyanobacteria, such as Dunaliella tertiolecta [11] , Aulosira fertilissima [12] , Nostoc muscorum [13] , Spirulina subsalsa [14] , Synechocystis sp. [15] , Spirulina platensis [16] and Synechococcus sp.…”

“…Bacteria and cyanobacteria have the capacity to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) [13,18] , which are biodegradable polyesters with potential use as polymeric materials [19] . Biodegradable polymers are alternative replacements for petrochemical polymers [20] .…”