Cynobacteria PHA Production

In the world of bio-based alternatives to traditional plastics, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are showing great promise.

This paper focuses on cyanobacteria PHA production. Cyanobacterias are photosynthetic organisms that produce PHA from CO2 and sunlight, which can potentially reduce production costs and environmental footprint in comparison to heterotrophic bacteria cultures.

How? They utilize inorganic carbon sources for growth and don't need intensive aeration for oxygenation.

Additionally, supplementing precursors (propionate, acetate, valerate, etc.) can be used to create a variety of copolymers with customizable plastic properties. This is a significant step forward compared to classical homopolymers like polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB).

The latest advances in PHA production include new discoveries in the metabolism interplay between PHA and glycogen production, plus cultivation strategies that enhance PHA accumulation and purification processes. Of course, challenges remain, but this interesting review also suggests potential solutions for a viable industrial PHAs production process.