ABSTRACT
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are considered to be the future of bioplastics, which have similar processing and material properties as conventional plastics (e.g. propylene), and can undergo processing extrusion, injection and molding. In the current scenario, the high cost of industrial PHA production compared to petroleum-based polymers is a major challenge in the field of extensive PHA production and commercialization. This chapter discusses the optimization of various steps in biochemical technology for sustainable and cost-effective PHA production. It reports work related mainly to microbial (bacterial) production. The chapter explains that the innovation in bioreactor designs and operating strategies and the implementation of newer nutrient feeding strategies have been instrumental in spearheading this research. The key question to be answered in the future is whether the burdens are outweighed by the environmental credits associated with waste-based and biotechnologically produced high-value products such as PHA.apter.
