RT journal article
T1 Rugulopteryx okamurae: Effect of microwave pretreatment on PHB fermentation
A1 Romero Vargas, Agustín
A1 Fernández Medina, Pedro
A1 Blandino Garrido, Ana María
A1 Álvarez Gallego, Carlos José
A1 Díaz Villanueva, Manuel Jesús
A2 Ingeniería Química y Tecnología de Alimentos
K1 Macroalgae
K1 Pretreatment
K1 Microwave
K1 Hydrolysis
K1 Fermentation
K1 PHA
K1 PHB
AB Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are biodegradable and sustainable bioplastics that are a promising alternative to conventional petrochemical-based plastics and contribute significantly to the reduction of environmental pollution. This study investigates the potential of using the invasive macroalga Rugulopteryx okamurae as a feedstock for PHA production, specifically polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), through fermentation with Cupriavidus necator. The macroalga was pretreated using microwave-assisted extraction at different temperature conditions, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis to enhance the release of fermentable sugars and subsequent PHB production. Results indicate that microwave pretreatment at 160 °C yielded the highest growth of C. necator (CDW = 1.75 g·L−1). However, pretreatment at higher temperatures (180 °C and 220 °C) led to reduced yields, probably due to the release of biological inhibitors. Additionally, the hydrolysate medium´s carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio was analysed, revealing that a lower C/N ratio, which was obtained in the hydrolysates from pretreated macroalgae, favoured bacterial growth. Higher C/N ratios obtained in the hydrolysate from non-pre-treated macroalgae were more conducive to PHB production, achieving the highest PHB accumulation (94 %). The study demonstrated that non-pretreated R. okamurae biomass led to the highest PHB accumulation, surpassing yields from other pretreatment methods like solid-state fermentation or hydrothermal acid pretreatment. This research highlights the potential of using R. okamurae, an underutilized and invasive macroalga, as a renewable resource for PHA production, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics and addressing environmental challenges such as beach-cast biomass accumulation. Future studies could focus on optimizing pretreatment processes and exploring more efficient ways to convert macroalgae biomass into bioplastics.
PB Elsevier
YR 2025
FD 2025-10-01
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/36571
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/36571
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 08-nov-2026