This project aims the development of a closed circle for the production, processing, recycling and biodegradation of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers from waste animal fats. It also stands for an acceleration of an industrial commercialization of these PHA bioplastic materials.

PHAs are alternatives to conventionally produced plastics. Besides their biodegradability, they are also biocompatible, which makes them suitable for medical applications. R. eutropha H16 for polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and recombinant strains for production of the novel PHA poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate), with different monomers concentrations are applied and further optimized through metabolic engineering, dependent on feedstock composition and desired material properties.

The project is funded by the BMBF-Initiative "Bioeconomy International 2014".

Dr.-Ing. Sebastian L. Riedel (riedel(at)tu-berlin.de)

Animox GmbH, Berlin

Fraunhofer IPK, Berlin

Universiti Sains Malaysia (Prof. Sudesh Kumar), Penang, Malaysia

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (Prof. Brigham), Boston, USA