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Polyhydroxyalkanoate Biosynthesis from Waste Cooking Oils by Cupriavidus necator Strains Harbouring phaCBP-M-CPF4

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Abstract

Waste cooking oil (WCO) from various sources were evaluated as low-cost carbon feedstock to produce poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-(R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate] [P(3HB-co-3HHx)] copolymer, which is a type of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). Different Cupriavidus necator transformants harbouring phaCBP−M−CPF4 were employed as PHA-producing organisms in one-stage cultivation in shake flasks. Biological and chemical recovery of PHA were evaluated. C. necator Re2058/pHT1-CBP−M−CPF4 was able to achieve a cell dry weight (CDW) of 8.5 g/L, PHA content of 75.5 wt% and PHA concentration of 6.4 g/L from 1% (v/v) WCO. The weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of the synthesized PHA obtained from the same strain was 1440 kDa. The CDW, PHA content and concentration acquired using WCO are comparable to those using fresh oils as carbon substrates. The copolymer produced from distinct sources of WCO and different extraction methods did not have significant differences in molecular weights and thermal properties. Mealworms can perform biological recovery of PHA from cells fed with WCO from distinct sources. This study suggests that WCO from any source can be used as carbon source for bacteria to produce PHA. WCO can be a sustainable alternative for the more expensive fresh oils, and the synthesized PHA can be biologically recovered by mealworms. A combination approach of utilising low-cost substrate such as WCO, high-performance PHA producer including C. necator transformants and biological recovery to extract PHA is beneficial in biosynthesis of PHA copolymer, since this can make PHA production more economical and can improve the ability of PHA to compete with conventional petrochemical plastics.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Zacros (Fujimori Kogyo Co. Ltd.) from Japan (304/PBIOLOGI/6501281/F117). Lun Qing Fook acknowledges the Graduate Student Financial Assistance (GRA-Assist) awarded by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The authors thank Naresh Sandrasekaran, Yong Sen Khok, Dhines Selvanathan, Jia Hui Wan, Hui Jia Tang, Kogillavani Mathivannan and Geshani Manogaran for helping in experiments.

Funding

This study was funded by Zacros (Fujimori Kogyo Co. Ltd.) from Japan (304/PBIOLOGI/6501281/F117).

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  1. Ecobiomaterial Research Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Gelugor, Penang, Malaysia

    Lun Qing Fook, Hua Tiang Tan, Manoj Lakshmanan, Idris Zainab-L, Azura Ahmad, Shaik Ling Ang & Kumar Sudesh

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Contributions

Conceptualization: LQF, KS; Methodology: HTT, ML, IZ-L, SLA; Formal analysis and investigation: LQF, HTT, ML, IZ-L, AA, SLA; Writing—original draft preparation: LQF, AA; Writing—review and editing: LQF, HTT, ML, IZ-L, AA, SLA, KS; Funding acquisition: KS; Resources: KS; Supervision: KS.

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Correspondence to Kumar Sudesh.

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Fook, L.Q., Tan, H.T., Lakshmanan, M. et al. Polyhydroxyalkanoate Biosynthesis from Waste Cooking Oils by Cupriavidus necator Strains Harbouring phaCBP-M-CPF4. J Polym Environ (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-023-03166-5

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