Summary
Recovery of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) in three chlorinated solvents with or without acetone pretreatment and degradation of extracted PHB (99% pure) in hot chloroform were studied. When lyophilized Alcaligenes eutrophus biomass was used, the best results were obtained with acetone pretreatment and solvent reflux for 15 min in methylene chloride or chloroform. Recovered PHB had a 95% purity and molecular weights (Mw) of 1,050,000 and 930,000 g/mol respectively. Further heating resulted in a serious Mw, loss at reflux temperatures. Degradation of extracted PHB at 110°C in chloroform was due to random and chain-end scission, the former being predominant.
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Ramsay, J.A., Berger, E., Voyer, R. et al. Extraction of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate using chlorinated solvents. Biotechnol Tech 8, 589–594 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00152152
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00152152