Abstract
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a group of biodegradable, compostable and biocompatible biopolymers that are synthesised by microorganisms. Intensive research efforts leading to significant developments on mixed culture PHA production over the years have led to commercialisation of these processes. However, potential feedstocks remain untapped due to technical and cost considerations that have limited the widespread use of this technology. This article is intended to review some wood processing industry residue conversion technologies for wood sugar and volatile fatty acid production. Wood sugars and volatile fatty acids can be carbon sources for mixed culture PHA production. A conceptual design incorporating wastewater treatment is proposed for PHA production, as a biorefinery option for an integrated wood processing site. The two-stage PHA production process utilises the carbon in wastewater produced in a pulp mill and sugars from pretreated wood residues to produce PHA reducing the cost of production and improving the carbon utilisation of wood processing sites. A mass balance-based model was used to evaluate scenarios with different PHA yields. The article also discusses some potential product options and market applications of PHA.
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Abbreviations
- AD:
-
Anaerobic digestion
- ADF:
-
Aerobic dynamic feeding
- ATP:
-
Adenosine triphosphate
- COD:
-
Chemical oxygen demand
- DO:
-
Dissolved oxygen
- DS:
-
Dissolved solids
- EPS:
-
Extracellular polymeric substance
- GAO:
-
Glycogen accumulating organisms
- HV:
-
Hydroxyvalerate
- LDPE:
-
Low-density polyethylene
- Mcl:
-
Medium-chain-length
- MMC:
-
Mixed microbial consortia
- Odt:
-
Oven-dry tonnes
- PAO:
-
Polyphosphate accumulating organisms
- PHA:
-
Polyhydroxyalkanoates
- PHB:
-
Polyhydroxybutyrate
- PHBV:
-
Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)
- PP:
-
Polypropylene
- PS:
-
Polystyrene
- RNA:
-
Ribonucleic acid
- SBR:
-
Sequencing batch reactor
- Scl:
-
Short-chain-length
- SCW:
-
Supercritical water
- ThOD:
-
Theoretical oxygen demand
- TMP:
-
Thermo-mechanical pulp
- TSS:
-
Total suspended solids
- VFA:
-
Volatile fatty acids
- WF:
-
Wood fibre
- WFRTC:
-
Wood fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites
- WO:
-
Wet oxidation
- WPC:
-
Wood plastic composites
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Wijeyekoon, S.L.J., Suckling, I.D. (2023). Mixed Culture Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production as a Wood Processing Biorefinery Option. In: Pathak, P.D., Mandavgane, S.A. (eds) Biorefinery: A Sustainable Approach for the Production of Biomaterials, Biochemicals and Biofuels. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7481-6_1
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