2017/06/05 by Pavla Benešová, P. Benesova, Dan Kučera +5
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Materials Science · #Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications #Seaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds #biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
paper · doi:10.1111/lam.12762
openalex publication_date 2017/06/05 · openalex created_date 2017/06/15 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
The chicken feather hydrolysate (FH) has been tested as a potential complex nitrogen source for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates by Cupriavidus necator H16 when waste frying oil was used as a carbon source. The addition of FH into the mineral salt media with decreased inorganic nitrogen source concentration improved the yields of biomass and polyhydrohyalkanoates. The highest yields were achieved when 10 vol.% of FH prepared by microwave‐assisted alkaline hydrolysis of 60 g l−1 feather was added. In this case, the poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) yields were improved by more than about 50% as compared with control cultivation. A positive impact of FH was also observed for accumulation of copolymer poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) when sodium propionate was used as a precursor. The copolymer has superior processing and mechanical properties in comparison with PHB homopolymer. The application of FH eliminated the inhibitory effect of propionate and resulted in altered content of 3‐hydroxyvalerate (3HV) in copolymer. Therefore, the hydrolysed feather can serve as an excellent complex source of nitrogen for the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production. Moreover, by the combination of two inexpensive types of waste, such as waste frying oil and feather hydrolysate, it is possible to produce PHA with substantially improved efficiency and sustainability. Millions of tons of feathers, important waste product of poultry‐processing industry, are disposed off annually without any further benefits. Thus, there is an inevitable need for new technologies that enable ecologically and economically sensible processing of this waste. Herein, we report that alkali‐hydrolysed feathers can be used as a complex nitrogen source considerably improving polyhydroxyalkanoates production on waste frying oil employing Cupriavidus necator.