Biotechnological features of receiving organic compounds for production of plasticizers

Abstract

Plasticizers are used in the production of various polymers. They give these materials flexibility, strength and elasticity. Different groups of compounds are used for obtaining plasticizers in particular acids, phenols and alcohols. They can be obtained both by chemical synthesis and by using microorganisms. Information in this article is focused on the microbial synthesis of various compounds that are the basis for the production of plasticizers. Organic acids such as oleic, linolenic, linoleic, adipic, etc. are used in the production of plasticizers. Among the producers of these acids are bacteria of the genera Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus; yeast Rhodosporidium, Saccharomyces; fungi Thamnidium, Mucor; microalgae Botryococcus etc. The second group of compounds used in the production of plasticizers consists of phenols and their derivatives. Phenols can be obtained by cultivating recombinant strains of bacteria, in particular Escherichia coli. Metacresol is phenol derivative which is used for the production of plasticizers. It can be obtained using genetically modified cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus nidulans. The main raw materials for the production of plasticizers are alcohols — hexanol, glycerol, butanol, isobutanol. Hexanol is synthesized by both natural and recombinant bacteria and yeast. 2.5% of the total percentage of alcohol in production of plasticizers is hexanol. Glycerol is used less often in the production of plasticizers. The share of the use of this alcohol is 1.8%. The persentage of isobutanol in the production of plasticizers is 4.5% of the total amount of alcohols used for this purpose. This alcohol is obtained by cultivating recombinant bacteria Escherichia coli, Corynebacterium glutamicum, Zymomonas mobilis and yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The largest percentage of the use of alcohols in the creation of plasticizers is butanol — 36%. Bacteria of the genus Clostridium are distinguished among the natural producers of butanol. Recombinant strains of bacteria capable for synthesizing butanol have also been constructed — Escherichia coli, Clostridium tyrobutyricum, Clostridium cellulovorans and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.