Polyhydroxyalkanoate bio-production and its rise as biomaterial of the future

• Published in: Journal of biotechnology 2022-03, Vol.348, p.10-25
• Main Authors: Palmeiro-Sánchez, Tania, O’Flaherty, Vincent, Lens, Piet N.L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomaterials; Bioplastic; Copolymer; Polyhydroxyalkanoates
• ISSN: 0168-1656; 1873-4863
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2022.03.001

The first observation of a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) aggregate was in 1888 by Beijenrinck. Despite polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) being the first type of PHA discovered, it was not extracted and characterized until 1925 by Maurice Lemoigne in France, even before the concept of “macromolecules” was known. After more than 30 years, in 1958, Wilkinson and co-workers rediscovered PHB and its metabolic role in the cells as storage compound. PHB started to be appealing to the industry in the 1980s, when a few companies started to commercialize microbially produced PHAs. During the 1990 s, the focus was on reducing production costs to make PHA production economically feasible, for instance by genetically modified microorganisms and even plants. Since then, many advances have been made: diverse wastes as feedstock, different production processes, and tailored design of biopolymers. This paper summarizes the scientific and technological development of PHAs from their discovery in 1888 until their latest applications and current commercial uses. Future perspectives have been devised too based on the current bottlenecks. •Synopsis of PHA-research over the main achievements that marked the way up to now.•Assessment of PHA production and its proclivity to be a ground-breaking biomaterial.•There is a profuse number of PHA-based materials to match nearly any use as thermoplastic.•More research is needed to upscale PHA production on the road to commercialisation.•Environmental assessments are needed to test the harmfulness of PHA by-products.