Scaling-up microbial community-based polyhydroxyalkanoate production: status and challenges

Estévez-Alonso, Ángel; Pei, Ruizhe; Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. van; Kleerebezem, Robbert; Werker, Alan

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2021.124790

Cited by 75 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…Even though PHA production from waste streams has been successfully applied at lab-scale, PHA recovery is still a costly step in the mixed microbial cultures process. Thus, it is still a challenge for the PHA production process up-scaling using mixed microbial cultures to become economically feasible [ 121 , 122 ]. However, some PHA producing pilot-scale plants based on the use of mixed microbial cultures and wastewater as a substrate can be found in the literature and are listed in Table 10 .…”

Section: Polyhydroxyalkanoatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wastewater Valorization: Practice around the World at Pilot- and Full-Scale

Duque

Campo

Río

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Over the last few years, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been rebranded as water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs), which recognize the resource recovery potential that exists in wastewater streams. WRRFs contribute to a circular economy by not only producing clean water but by recovering valuable resources such as nutrients, energy, and other bio-based materials. To this aim, huge efforts in technological progress have been made to valorize sewage and sewage sludge, transforming them into valuable resources. This review summarizes some of the widely used and effective strategies applied at pilot- and full-scale settings in order to valorize the wastewater treatment process. An overview of the different technologies applied in the water and sludge line is presented, covering a broad range of resources, i.e., water, biomass, energy, nutrients, volatile fatty acids (VFA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), and exopolymeric substances (EPS). Moreover, guidelines and regulations around the world related to water reuse and resource valorization are reviewed.

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Section: Polyhydroxyalkanoatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wastewater Valorization: Practice around the World at Pilot- and Full-Scale

Duque

Campo

Río

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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“…These technologies diminish the relatively large costs for sterilization and raw substrates (Kleerebezem and van Loosdrecht 2007 ), and as a consequence, avoid part of the waste disposal expenses (Fernández-Dacosta et al 2015 ). To date, 19 pilot projects, using industrial or municipal organic waste streams as feedstock, have been operated (Estévez-Alonso et al 2021 ). Here, the most common type of PHA produced is the copolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate- co -3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Production of a newly discovered PHA family member with an isobutyrate-fed enrichment culture

Vermeer

Bons

Kleerebezem

2022

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol

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Using microbial enrichment cultures for the production of waste-derived polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) is a promising technology to recover secondary resources. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) form the preferred substrate for PHA production. Isobutyrate is a VFA appearing in multiple waste valorization routes, such as anaerobic fermentation, chain elongation, and microbial electrosynthesis, but has never been assessed individually on its PHA production potential. This research investigates isobutyrate as sole carbon source for a microbial enrichment culture in comparison to its structural isomer butyrate. The results reveal that the enrichment of isobutyrate has a very distinct character regarding microbial community development, PHA productivity, and even PHA composition. Although butyrate is a superior substrate in almost every aspect, this research shows that isobutyrate-rich waste streams have a noteworthy PHA-producing potential. The main finding is that the dominant microorganism, a Comamonas sp., is linked to the production of a unique PHA family member, poly(3-hydroxyisobutyrate) (PHiB), up to 37% of the cell dry weight. This is the first scientific report identifying microbial PHiB production, demonstrating that mixed microbial communities can be a powerful tool for discovery of new metabolic pathways and new types of polymers. Key points • PHiB production is a successful storage strategy in an isobutyrate-fed SBR • Isomers isobutyrate and butyrate reveal a very distinct PHA production behavior • Enrichments can be a tool for discovery of new metabolic pathways and polymers Graphical abstract

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“… 8 − 11 In this scenario, waste and wastewater treatment plants could become sustainable biorefineries that deliver new products and resources recovered from waste streams. 12 For example, municipal wastewater contains a significant quantity of toilet paper that could be sieved and recovered as cellulosic primary sludge (CPS) for fermentation to obtain VFAs as PHA precursors. 13 − 15 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of the Sludge Retention Time and Carbon Source on Polyhydroxyalkanoate-Storing Biomass Selection under Aerobic-Feast and Anoxic-Famine Conditions

Frison

Andreolli

Botturi

et al. 2021

ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng.

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Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are versatile biodegradable polymers produced by bacteria and are suitable for many downstream applications. They can be produced inexpensively from mixed microbial cultures under feast and famine conditions in the presence of biobased volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Here, we investigated the effect of changing the sludge retention time (SRT) and the addition of fermented cellulosic primary sludge (CPS) as a carbon source on the selection of PHA-storing biomass when applying the feast and famine strategy under aerobic and anoxic conditions, respectively. Increasing the SRT from 5 to 7–10 days enhanced PHA yields under feast conditions from 0.18 gCOD PHA /gCOD VFA (period 1) to 0.40 gCOD PHA /gCOD VFA (period 2). The use of fermented CPS as a carbon source (period 3) increased PHA yields to 0.62 gCOD PHA /gCOD VFA despite the presence of biodegradable non-VFA fractions. Microbial characterization by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed high microbial speciation during the three experimental periods. In period 3, the dominant genera were Thauera , Paracoccus , and Azoarcus , which accounted for ∼95% of the total microbial biomass.

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Scaling-up microbial community-based polyhydroxyalkanoate production: status and challenges

Cited by 75 publications

References 76 publications

Wastewater Valorization: Practice around the World at Pilot- and Full-Scale

Wastewater Valorization: Practice around the World at Pilot- and Full-Scale

Production of a newly discovered PHA family member with an isobutyrate-fed enrichment culture

Effects of the Sludge Retention Time and Carbon Source on Polyhydroxyalkanoate-Storing Biomass Selection under Aerobic-Feast and Anoxic-Famine Conditions

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