Cupriavidus necator: A sustainable triple tool for waste reduction, biopolymer production, and cost optimization

Abstract

Wild type Cupriavidus necator is a sustainable tool to produce high-value biopolymers from industrial wastes, optimizing polymer production cost and reducing pollution.

This model bacterium is a sustainable microorganism that reduces industrial pollution by using waste materials as feedstock. This approach minimizes environmental impact and promotes effective management of industrial by-products. C. necator is well-studied for its ability to produce high-value biopolymers, particularly polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), which are biodegradable and exhibit desirable mechanical properties and biocompatibility. C. necator produces PHAs from various industries related to human food consumption: commercial food production, biodiesel, alcoholic beverages, sugar, agricultural and forestry plastics and petrochemicals. Utilizing organic waste lowers PHAs production costs, enhancing economic viability. To achieve this goal, several key processes need to be considered. The first key processes include the efficient management of food waste for transport to PHAs production sites and the necessary pre-treatment to convert them into suitable carbon sources for bacteria. The next key processes are fermentation strategies to optimize the biopolymer production and the use of co-substrates to synthesize the desired type of PHA. This makes it possible to tailor the type of PHA produced from waste to different types of applications, ranging from the replacement of non-biodegradable petrochemical plastics to biomedical applications with health benefits.

C. necator is a sustainable tool address environmental challenges, valorize industrial wastes, generate a variety of valuable bioproducts, and enhance the economic feasibility of sustainable polymer production.