More than PHB – the PHAmily of Copolymers: Justifications for Broader Use and Summary of Biodegradation Facts on Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) – A Review
Globally, a significant portion of plastics are mismanaged, ultimately ending up in the environment. While reducing, reusing, and recycling plastics should be the preferred end-of-life scenarios, biodegradable plastics are compatible with all of these routes and represent a promising alternative. Po...
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| Format: | Article |
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Croatian Society of Chemical Engineers
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Quarterly |
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| Online Access: | http://silverstripe.fkit.hr/cabeq/assets/Uploads/01-4-2024.pdf |
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| author | M. Lackner P. Costa M. Koller M. Zinn |
| author_facet | M. Lackner P. Costa M. Koller M. Zinn |
| author_sort | M. Lackner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Globally, a significant portion of plastics are mismanaged, ultimately ending up in the environment. While reducing, reusing, and recycling plastics should be the preferred end-of-life scenarios, biodegradable plastics are compatible with all of these routes and represent a promising alternative. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a family of polyesters synthesized by various microorganisms, stand out in this regard. The most common type of PHA, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), is particularly relevant as it is both biobased and biodegradable. Additionally, there is substantial knowledge about this thermoplastic polyester, its applications, and its commercial availability. However, over 150 other PHA building blocks have been identified, with some having been tested and developed for various promising applications. Despite this, not all PHA copolymers have been fully evaluated for their biodegradability across diverse environmental conditions. Nevertheless, due to their biosynthesis in living microorganisms, a good degree of biodegradability is expected. Moreover, PHAs can also be chemically recycled into valuable chemicals, positioning them as the biobased polymer with the most versatile end-of-life options. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on PHA copolymers, their cur rent end-of-life pathways, the most relevant biodegradability standards, and their degradability by depolymerase enzymes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c7401a3e429143af88f1e6a781e9b2a8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0352-9568 1846-5153 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Croatian Society of Chemical Engineers |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Quarterly |
| spelling | doaj-art-c7401a3e429143af88f1e6a781e9b2a82025-01-21T13:11:10ZengCroatian Society of Chemical EngineersChemical and Biochemical Engineering Quarterly0352-95681846-51532025-01-0138426529110.15255/CABEQ.2024.2318More than PHB – the PHAmily of Copolymers: Justifications for Broader Use and Summary of Biodegradation Facts on Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) – A ReviewM. Lackner0P. Costa1M. Koller2M. Zinn3a)Go!PHA, Oudebrugsteeg 9, 1012JN Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Kvk: 75070790; b)Go!PHA, 12324 Hampton Way, NC 27587 Wake Forest, United States, EIN: 92-3564213; e)CIRCE Biotechnologie GmbH, Kerpengasse 125, 1210 Vienna, Austriaa)Go!PHA, Oudebrugsteeg 9, 1012JN Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Kvk: 75070790; b)Go!PHA, 12324 Hampton Way, NC 27587 Wake Forest, United States, EIN: 92-3564213Institut für Chemie (Institute of Chemistry), UNIVERSITAET GRAZ, (University of Graz), NAWI Graz, Heinrichstrasse 28/IV, A-8010 Graz, AustriaInstitute of Life Sciences, University of Applied Science and Arts Western Switzerland (HES-SO Valais Wallis), Rue de l’Industrie 23, 1950 Sion, SwitzerlandGlobally, a significant portion of plastics are mismanaged, ultimately ending up in the environment. While reducing, reusing, and recycling plastics should be the preferred end-of-life scenarios, biodegradable plastics are compatible with all of these routes and represent a promising alternative. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a family of polyesters synthesized by various microorganisms, stand out in this regard. The most common type of PHA, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), is particularly relevant as it is both biobased and biodegradable. Additionally, there is substantial knowledge about this thermoplastic polyester, its applications, and its commercial availability. However, over 150 other PHA building blocks have been identified, with some having been tested and developed for various promising applications. Despite this, not all PHA copolymers have been fully evaluated for their biodegradability across diverse environmental conditions. Nevertheless, due to their biosynthesis in living microorganisms, a good degree of biodegradability is expected. Moreover, PHAs can also be chemically recycled into valuable chemicals, positioning them as the biobased polymer with the most versatile end-of-life options. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on PHA copolymers, their cur rent end-of-life pathways, the most relevant biodegradability standards, and their degradability by depolymerase enzymes.http://silverstripe.fkit.hr/cabeq/assets/Uploads/01-4-2024.pdfbiodegradationpolyhydroxyalkanoates (phas)mismanagementplastic wastemicroplasticscircularity |
| spellingShingle | M. Lackner P. Costa M. Koller M. Zinn More than PHB – the PHAmily of Copolymers: Justifications for Broader Use and Summary of Biodegradation Facts on Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) – A Review Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Quarterly biodegradation polyhydroxyalkanoates (phas) mismanagement plastic waste microplastics circularity |
| title | More than PHB – the PHAmily of Copolymers: Justifications for Broader Use and Summary of Biodegradation Facts on Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) – A Review |
| title_full | More than PHB – the PHAmily of Copolymers: Justifications for Broader Use and Summary of Biodegradation Facts on Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) – A Review |
| title_fullStr | More than PHB – the PHAmily of Copolymers: Justifications for Broader Use and Summary of Biodegradation Facts on Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) – A Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | More than PHB – the PHAmily of Copolymers: Justifications for Broader Use and Summary of Biodegradation Facts on Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) – A Review |
| title_short | More than PHB – the PHAmily of Copolymers: Justifications for Broader Use and Summary of Biodegradation Facts on Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) – A Review |
| title_sort | more than phb the phamily of copolymers justifications for broader use and summary of biodegradation facts on polyhydroxyalkanoates pha a review |
| topic | biodegradation polyhydroxyalkanoates (phas) mismanagement plastic waste microplastics circularity |
| url | http://silverstripe.fkit.hr/cabeq/assets/Uploads/01-4-2024.pdf |
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