Growing environmental concern sparks renewed interest in the sustainable production of (bio)materials that can replace oil\uffe2\uff80\uff90derived goods. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are isotactic polymers that play a critical role in the central metabolism of producer bacteria, as they act as dynamic reservoirs of carbon and reducing equivalents. PHAs continue to attract industrial attention as a starting point toward renewable, biodegradable, biocompatible, and versatile thermoplastic and elastomeric materials. Pseudomonas species have been known for long as efficient biopolymer producers, especially for medium\uffe2\uff80\uff90chain\uffe2\uff80\uff90length PHAs. The surge of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering approaches in recent years offers the possibility of exploiting the untapped potential of Pseudomonas cell factories for the production of tailored PHAs. In this article, an overview of the metabolic and regulatory circuits that rule PHA accumulation in Pseudomonas putida is provided, and approaches leading to the biosynthesis of novel polymers (e.g., PHAs including nonbiological chemical elements in their structures) are discussed. The potential of novel PHAs to disrupt existing and future market segments is closer to realization than ever before. The review is concluded by pinpointing challenges that currently hinder the wide adoption of bio\uffe2\uff80\uff90based PHAs, and strategies toward programmable polymer biosynthesis from alternative substrates in engineered P. putida strains are proposed.
", "keywords": ["0301 basic medicine", "2. Zero hunger", "0303 health sciences", "Biopolymer", "PHA", "Pseudomonas putida", "Polyhydroxyalkanoates", "Carbon", "12. Responsible consumption", "03 medical and health sciences", "/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/affordable_and_clean_energy; name=SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy", "Metabolic Engineering", "Pseudomonas", "Pathway engineering", "Metabolic engineering", "Synthetic biology"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/biot.202000165"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1002/biot.202000165"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Biotechnology%20Journal", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1002/biot.202000165", "name": "item", "description": "10.1002/biot.202000165", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1002/biot.202000165"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-11-09T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1007/s12649-020-01023-3", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-29T16:15:18Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-03-26", "title": "A Multiproduct Biorefinery Approach for the Production of Hydrogen, Methane and Volatile Fatty Acids from Agricultural Waste", "description": "AbstractA pilot scale biorefinery platform for the treatment of agro-waste and the production of hydrogen, methane and volatile fatty acids was studied in real environment. The system adopted was a two stage anaerobic process where hydrogen and volatile fatty acids were produced in the first phase (fermentation) and methane in the second one (digestion). The study demonstrated the possibility to produce a biogas composed by hydrogen and methane (10% and 55%, respectively) while recovering volatile fatty acids. The yield for acids production was equivalent to 0.13\uffc2\uffa0gVFA/gTVS (as COD) with acetate and butyrate as dominant observed species.
Graphic Abstra", "keywords": ["Horizon 2020", "Environmental Engineering", "Circular economy", "Renewable Energy", " Sustainability and the Environment", "Polyhydroxyalkanoates", "7. Clean energy", "01 natural sciences", "6. Clean water", "Biorefinery", "12. Responsible consumption", "Bio-economy", "Bioresource recovery", "Euratom", "13. Climate action", "Volatile fatty acids", "European Union (EU)", "Waste Management and Disposal", "Agricultural waste", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12649-020-01023-3.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-020-01023-3"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Waste%20and%20Biomass%20Valorization", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1007/s12649-020-01023-3", "name": "item", "description": "10.1007/s12649-020-01023-3", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1007/s12649-020-01023-3"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-03-26T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.12.270", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-29T16:16:32Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2019-01-03", "title": "Improving polyhydroxyalkanoates production in phototrophic mixed cultures by optimizing accumulator reactor operating conditions", "description": "Open AccessPolyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) production with phototrophic mixed cultures (PMCs) has been recently proposed. These cultures can be selected under the permanent presence of carbon and the PHA production can be enhanced in subsequent accumulation steps. To optimize the PHA production in accumulator reactors, this work evaluated the impact of 1) initial acetate concentration, 2) light intensity, 3) removal of residual nitrogen on the culture performance. Results indicate that low acetate concentration (<30CmM) and specific light intensities around 20W/gX are optimal operating conditions that lead to high polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) storage yields (0.83+-0.07 Cmol-PHB/Cmol-Acet) and specific PHB production rates of 2.21+-0.07 Cmol-PHB/Cmol X d. This rate is three times higher than previously registered in non-optimized accumulation tests and enabled a PHA content increase from 15 to 30% in less than 4h. Also, it was shown for the first time, the capability of a PMC to use a real waste, fermented cheese whey, to produce PHA with a hydroxyvalerate (HV) content of 12%. These results confirm that fermented wastes can be used as substrates for PHA production with PMCs and that the energy levels in sunlight that lead to specific light intensities from 10 to 20W/gX are sufficient to drive phototrophic PHA production processes.", "keywords": ["0106 biological sciences", "1303 Biochemistry", "Light", "Nitrogen", "Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)", "Fermented cheese whey (FCW)", "Phototrophic mixed cultures (PMCs)", "Acetates", "7. Clean energy", "01 natural sciences", "1315 Structural Biology", "Bioreactors", "Cheese", "Whey", "1312 Molecular Biology", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences", "Polyhydroxyalkanoates", "Volatile fatty acids (VFAs)", "Other Quantitative Biology (q-bio.OT)", "Quantitative Biology - Other Quantitative Biology", "Purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB)", "Kinetics", "Phototrophic Processes", "13. Climate action", "FOS: Biological sciences", "Fermentation"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.12.270"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/International%20Journal%20of%20Biological%20Macromolecules", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.12.270", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.12.270", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.12.270"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-04-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.3390/su11143836", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-29T16:21:20Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2019-07-15", "title": "Maximizing Environmental Impact Savings Potential Through Innovative Biorefinery Alternatives: An Application of the TM-LCA Framework for Regional Scale Impact Assessment", "description": "In order to compare the maximum potential environmental impact savings that may result from the implementation of innovative biorefinery alternatives at a regional scale, the Territorial Metabolism-Life Cycle Assessment (TM-LCA) framework is implemented. With the goal of examining environmental impacts arising from technology-to-region (territory) compatibility, the framework is applied to two biorefinery alternatives, treating a mixture of cow manure and grape marc. The biorefineries produce either biogas alone or biogas and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), a naturally occurring polymer. The production of PHA substitutes either polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or biosourced polylactide (PLA) production. The assessment is performed for two regions, one in Southern France and the other in Oregon, USA. Changing energy systems are taken into account via multiple dynamic energy provision scenarios. Territorial scale impacts are quantified using both LCA midpoint impact categories and single score indicators derived through multi-criteria decision assessment (MCDA). It is determined that in all probable future scenarios, a biorefinery with PHA-biogas co-production is preferable to a biorefinery only producing biogas. The TM-LCA framework facilitates the capture of technology and regionally specific impacts, such as impacts caused by local energy provision and potential impacts due to limitations in the availability of the defined feedstock leading to additional transport.
", "keywords": ["Biogas", "02 engineering and technology", "/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/responsible_consumption_and_production; name=SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production", "7. Clean energy", "territorial metabolism", "12. Responsible consumption", "Life cycle assessment", "/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/affordable_and_clean_energy; name=SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy", "life cycle assessment", "biogas", "agricultural residues", "0202 electrical engineering", " electronic engineering", " information engineering", "Agricultural residues", "Multi-criteria decision assessment", "biorefinery", "2. Zero hunger", "Territorial metabolism", "Polyhydroxyalkanoates", "polyhydroxyalkanoates", "Biorefinery", "Bioplastic", "multi-criteria decision assessment", "13. Climate action", "8. Economic growth", "bioplastic"]}, "links": [{"href": "http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/14/3836/pdf"}, {"href": "https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/14/3836/pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143836"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Sustainability", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.3390/su11143836", "name": "item", "description": "10.3390/su11143836", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.3390/su11143836"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-07-13T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.3390/bioengineering4020055", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-29T16:21:03Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2017-06-12", "title": "Recent Advances and Challenges towards Sustainable Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Production", "description": "Sustainable biofuels, biomaterials, and fine chemicals production is a critical matter that research teams around the globe are focusing on nowadays. Polyhydroxyalkanoates represent one of the biomaterials of the future due to their physicochemical properties, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. Designing efficient and economic bioprocesses, combined with the respective social and environmental benefits, has brought together scientists from different backgrounds highlighting the multidisciplinary character of such a venture. In the current review, challenges and opportunities regarding polyhydroxyalkanoate production are presented and discussed, covering key steps of their overall production process by applying pure and mixed culture biotechnology, from raw bioprocess development to downstream processing.
", "keywords": ["0106 biological sciences", "0301 basic medicine", "Technology", "Renewable feedstock", "QH301-705.5", "biopolymers", "Review", "7. Clean energy", "01 natural sciences", "12. Responsible consumption", "mixed microbial consortia", "03 medical and health sciences", "Biopolymers", "/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/affordable_and_clean_energy; name=SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy", "renewable feedstock", "Pure cultures", "pure cultures", "enrichment strategy", "Biology (General)", "Synthetic biology", "Polyhydroxyalkanoates", "T", "polyhydroxyalkanoates", "Mixed microbial consortia", "downstream processing", "Downstream processing", "13. Climate action", "Enrichment strategy", "synthetic biology"]}, "links": [{"href": "http://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/4/2/55/pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering4020055"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Bioengineering", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.3390/bioengineering4020055", "name": "item", "description": "10.3390/bioengineering4020055", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.3390/bioengineering4020055"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2017-06-11T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.3390/su12093676", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-29T16:21:20Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-05-05", "title": "Assessing New Biotechnologies by Combining TEA and TM-LCA for an Efficient Use of Biomass Resources", "description": "An efficient use of biomass resources is a key element of the bioeconomy. Ideally, options leading to the highest environmental and economic gains can be singled out for any given region. In this study, to achieve this goal of singling out an ideal technology for a given region, biotechnologies are assessed by a combination of techno-economic assessment (TEA) and territorial metabolism life cycle assessment (TM-LCA). Three technology variations for anaerobic digestion (AD) were assessed at two different scales (200 kW and 1 MW) and for two different regions. First, sustainable feedstock availability for two European regions was quantified. Then, the environmental impact and economic potential of each technology when scaled up to the regional level, considering all of the region\uffe2\uff80\uff99s unique sustainably available feedstock, was investigated. Multiple criteria decision analysis and internalized damage monetization were used to generate single scores for the assessments. Preference for the technology scenario producing the most energy was shown for all regions and scales, while producing bioplastic was less preferable since the value of the produced bioplastic plastic was not great enough to offset the resultant reduction in energy production. Assessing alternatives in a regional context provided valuable information about the influence of different types of feedstock on environmental performance.
", "keywords": ["Techno-economic assessment", "anaerobic digestion", "Regional assessment", "0211 other engineering and technologies", "Biogas", "techno-economic assessment", "02 engineering and technology", "/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/responsible_consumption_and_production; name=SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production", "biomass valorization", "7. Clean energy", "territorial metabolism", "12. Responsible consumption", "regional assessment", "Life cycle assessment", "/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/affordable_and_clean_energy; name=SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy", "life cycle assessment", "Anaerobic digestion", "11. Sustainability", "biogas", "0202 electrical engineering", " electronic engineering", " information engineering", "Territorial metabolism", "Polyhydroxyalkanoates", "polyhydroxyalkanoates", "Wet oxidation", "Biomass valorization", "wet oxidation", "13. Climate action", "8. Economic growth"]}, "links": [{"href": "http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/9/3676/pdf"}, {"href": "https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/9/3676/pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.3390/su12093676"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Sustainability", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.3390/su12093676", "name": "item", "description": "10.3390/su12093676", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.3390/su12093676"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-05-02T00:00:00Z"}}], "links": [{"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "This document as GeoJSON", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Polyhydroxyalkanoates&f=json", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "title": "This document as HTML", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Polyhydroxyalkanoates&f=html", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection URL", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"type": "application/geo+json", "rel": "first", "title": "items (first)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Polyhydroxyalkanoates&", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "last", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "items (last)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Polyhydroxyalkanoates&offset=6", "hreflang": "en-US"}], "numberMatched": 6, "numberReturned": 6, "distributedFeatures": [], "timeStamp": "2026-05-30T09:01:16.429091Z"}