Microbial Polyhydroxyalkanoates: Recovery Methods, Biopolymer Processing, Characterization, and Potential Applications

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a family of bio-based and biodegradable bioplastics that have gained attention as potential alternatives to conventional plastic materials. PHAs are produced through bioprocesses by numerous microorganisms, acting as an intracellular energetic reservoir to cells. For their commercialization and application, PHAs need to be isolated from the microbial cells. Different recovery methods are proposed and described in the literature, being classified in mechanical, chemical, and biological methods. The main challenge involving PHAs downstream is to find a method that can find the balance of being industrially scalable, cheap, and environmentally friendly. The present review will discuss the different aspects of downstream processing of PHAs and the opportunities for achieving the successful commercialization of these biopolymers, focusing on the methods for their recovery with their respective pros and cons. Additionally, the post-recovery processes, techniques for their characterization, and the potential applications of these biopolymers will also be discussed.