Journal of Chemical Engineering & Process Technology
Open Access

PHA copolymers from methane

8^th World Congress on Biopolymers & Bioplastics

June 28-29, 2018 | Berlin, Germany

Jaewook Myung

Southern Methodist University, US

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Chem Eng Process Technol

Abstract :

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are microbial storage polymers accumulated by many different groups of bacteria as an intracellular carbon and energy reserve. Use of methane (CH4 ) as a feedstock for PHA production can significantly decrease costs and environmental impacts. Methane is currently widely available as the major component of natural gas and biogas obtained from the anaerobic degradation of organic waste. When CH4 is the sole feedstock, high molecular weight poly(3- hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) is the sole PHA product. Herein, we report the first methanotrophic synthesis of PHAs that contain repeating units beyond 3HB, including poly(3- hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), poly(3- hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB-co-4HB)), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-5-hydroxyvalerate-co-3- hydroxyvalerate) (P(3HB-co-5HV-co-3HV)), and poly(3- hydroxybutyrate-co-6-hydroxyhexanoate-co-4- hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB-co-6HHx-co-4HB)).