Microalgae to bioplastics – Routes and challenges
There is an increasing interest in the production of bioplastics from biomass-based feedstocks to address the challenges associated with increasing global plastic consumption. Bioplastics are produced mainly from 1st generation feedstocks that compete with food production for agricultural resources....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Cleaner Engineering and Technology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266679082500045X |
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| author | Sofia Chaudry Valentina Hurtado-McCormick Ka Yu Cheng Anusuya Willis Robert Speight Anna H. Kaksonen |
| author_facet | Sofia Chaudry Valentina Hurtado-McCormick Ka Yu Cheng Anusuya Willis Robert Speight Anna H. Kaksonen |
| author_sort | Sofia Chaudry |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There is an increasing interest in the production of bioplastics from biomass-based feedstocks to address the challenges associated with increasing global plastic consumption. Bioplastics are produced mainly from 1st generation feedstocks that compete with food production for agricultural resources. Recently, microalgae have gained interest as a feedstock for bioplastics production. Microalgae can be used in various ways to produce different types of bioplastics including various biodegradable and drop-in bioplastics. However, not much attention has been paid to different routes of bioplastics production from microalgae. This review examines the potential of using microalgae as a feedstock for bioplastics, with a focus on three key polymer synthesis routes: 1) use of natural polymers synthesised by microalgae, 2) chemical synthesis of polymers from microalgae-derived feedstocks and 3) microbial synthesis of polymers from microalgae-derived feedstocks. The technical and economic challenges associated with each route are analysed. The optimal route of using microalgae as a feedstock for bioplastics largely depends on the economics of the process. Conducting comparable feasibility studies for various routes is recommended to identify the most economically viable route for utilising microalgae to produce bioplastics. Microalgae has great potential for the bioplastic industry, however, to progress the research to commercialisation, future research emphasis should be placed on investigating various routes of utilising microalgae for bioplastics along with optimising the process for enhanced biomass productivity and polymer yield, characterising the produced polymers, investigating the co-production of bioplastics with other products, and integrating the production of bioplastics with the wastewater treatment. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-711f18cc80a44b8990935eb309cf8bec |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2666-7908 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cleaner Engineering and Technology |
| spelling | doaj-art-711f18cc80a44b8990935eb309cf8bec2025-08-20T02:53:12ZengElsevierCleaner Engineering and Technology2666-79082025-03-012510092210.1016/j.clet.2025.100922Microalgae to bioplastics – Routes and challengesSofia Chaudry0Valentina Hurtado-McCormick1Ka Yu Cheng2Anusuya Willis3Robert Speight4Anna H. Kaksonen5CSIRO Environment, 7 Conlon Street, Waterford, WA 6152, Australia; CSIRO Advanced Engineering Biology Future Science Platform, 147 Underwood Avenue, Floreat, WA 6014, Australia; Corresponding author. CSIRO Environment, 7 Conlon Street, Waterford, WA 6152, Australia.CSIRO Environment, 7 Conlon Street, Waterford, WA 6152, AustraliaCSIRO Environment, 7 Conlon Street, Waterford, WA 6152, Australia; School of Engineering & Energy, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, AustraliaCSIRO National Collection & Marine Infrastructure, 3 Castray Esplanade, Hobart, TAS 7000, AustraliaCSIRO Advanced Engineering Biology Future Science Platform, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, AustraliaCSIRO Environment, 7 Conlon Street, Waterford, WA 6152, Australia; Western Australian School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia; School of Engineering, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, AustraliaThere is an increasing interest in the production of bioplastics from biomass-based feedstocks to address the challenges associated with increasing global plastic consumption. Bioplastics are produced mainly from 1st generation feedstocks that compete with food production for agricultural resources. Recently, microalgae have gained interest as a feedstock for bioplastics production. Microalgae can be used in various ways to produce different types of bioplastics including various biodegradable and drop-in bioplastics. However, not much attention has been paid to different routes of bioplastics production from microalgae. This review examines the potential of using microalgae as a feedstock for bioplastics, with a focus on three key polymer synthesis routes: 1) use of natural polymers synthesised by microalgae, 2) chemical synthesis of polymers from microalgae-derived feedstocks and 3) microbial synthesis of polymers from microalgae-derived feedstocks. The technical and economic challenges associated with each route are analysed. The optimal route of using microalgae as a feedstock for bioplastics largely depends on the economics of the process. Conducting comparable feasibility studies for various routes is recommended to identify the most economically viable route for utilising microalgae to produce bioplastics. Microalgae has great potential for the bioplastic industry, however, to progress the research to commercialisation, future research emphasis should be placed on investigating various routes of utilising microalgae for bioplastics along with optimising the process for enhanced biomass productivity and polymer yield, characterising the produced polymers, investigating the co-production of bioplastics with other products, and integrating the production of bioplastics with the wastewater treatment.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266679082500045XBioplasticsCyanobacteriaDrop-in bioplasticsMicroalgaePolyhydroxyalkanoatesPolylactic acid |
| spellingShingle | Sofia Chaudry Valentina Hurtado-McCormick Ka Yu Cheng Anusuya Willis Robert Speight Anna H. Kaksonen Microalgae to bioplastics – Routes and challenges Cleaner Engineering and Technology Bioplastics Cyanobacteria Drop-in bioplastics Microalgae Polyhydroxyalkanoates Polylactic acid |
| title | Microalgae to bioplastics – Routes and challenges |
| title_full | Microalgae to bioplastics – Routes and challenges |
| title_fullStr | Microalgae to bioplastics – Routes and challenges |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microalgae to bioplastics – Routes and challenges |
| title_short | Microalgae to bioplastics – Routes and challenges |
| title_sort | microalgae to bioplastics routes and challenges |
| topic | Bioplastics Cyanobacteria Drop-in bioplastics Microalgae Polyhydroxyalkanoates Polylactic acid |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266679082500045X |
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