Biopol

AN ALTERNTIVE PLASTIC FOR THE FUTURE

Lewis Tran
YEAR 12 CHEMISTRY | 2:55PM 4:40PM SUNDAY CLASS

Biopol
What is Biopol?
Biopol is the commercial name of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), a condensation copolymer of 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxyvalerate. Its structure is that of a thermoplastic linear chain polyester. It has the potential to be a biodegradable, biocompatible and environmentally sustainable alternative to petroleum based plastics, such as LDPE/HDPE and polypropylene. In the wake of the increasingly apparent environmental damage that petroleum based products have caused and their declining sources, research into biopolymers such as Biopol is becoming more important than ever. This research, however, has long been ignored due to the low cost and availability of petroleum based products.

Production
Biopol is a natural biopolymer produced by Cupriavidis necator (once named Alcaligenes eutrophus) as an energy storage molecule as a cellular stress response to nutrient deprivation. PHAs are found as cytoplasmic granules In the bioplastics industry, Biopol is made by: 1. Growing Cupriavidis necator in a suitable medium, nourishing it with nutrients to assist growth 2. Depriving the strain of a selected nutrient (usually nitrogen or phosphorus) 3. Lysing the bacterial cells once enough polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) has accumulated within the cell cytoplasm Once the cells have been lysed, the polymer must then be extracted and purified from the cellular debris via centrifugation. Organic solvents are often used in the purification of PHAs, but this environmentally and economically unattractive as large quantities of organic solvent are needed. The polymer often takes up to 90% (w/w) dry weight of the cell when harvested using bacterial strains. Through current advancements in biotechnologies, such as genetic engineering, other bacterial strains and even plants can be engineering to produce PHAs in a similar way. However, in plants, PHA levels exceeding 10% often leads to growth and development issues. This issue has yet to be resolved.

Properties and Applications

PHBV is a thermoplastic polymer, meaning that it becomes soft and malleable with applied heat. This is useful in the plastics industry as it allows to it be moulded into different shapes with ease. Such applications which make use of this property are plastic children's toys and plastic cups/plates. PHBV is also biocompatible. Petroleum derived plastics, such as polypropylene, are generally inert. They can, however, illicit strong immune responses when placed in the body. PHBV, as a biocompatible polymer, does not trigger an immune response and can therefore be safely placed inside the body for a variety of uses. Such uses include baby's nappies, stents and sutures. PHBV is biodegradable, meaning it decomposes naturally via enzymatic action. This property is what makes Biopol so attractive as a future alternative plastic. Not only would Biopol be more

environmentally sustainable in that it safely decomposes into carbon dioxide and water, it would also help curb and control landfill and assist in management of waste. Biopol also degrades into its monomers in living organisms. PHBV's biodegradability warrants a variety of uses, such as disposable items (razors, diapers, cutlery, and bottles), slow release drug tablets and a variety of medical uses. PHBV is resistant to acids and bases and impervious to water. This allows Biopol to be used in a wider variety of uses such as in packaging, coatings and medical implants.

Economics and Costs

The production of Biopol is very expensive, despite its sustainability. Extracting the polymer from the bacterial cell requires extensive knowledge of biochemistry and microbial biology. The costs associated with hiring workers with these qualifications is financially unrealistic. Current extraction methods also produce relatively low yield per bacterium and are slow. The production of Biopol at this speed is not realistic for its use as a replacement for petroleum based plastics. Biopol is also brittle and has primitive mechanical properties, meaning that its use as a replacement of the highly versatile polyethylene is very limited and difficult.

Recent Advances
Several biotechnological advances have benefitted the development of Biopol. Of these, the most prominent are:

Genetic Engineering
The genetic material for the production of PHAs as a cellular stress response is generally from Cupriavidis necator. However, this genetic material can be transplanted into different plants and bacterial strains allowing them to generate PHAs as well. This method does not work as effectively for plants, however, as any PHA content in its cells exceeding 10% (w/w) results in negative growth and developmental effects. The genetic material for the production of PHA can be transplanted into easy to grow bacterial strains, such as Escherichia coli. This bacterial strain can be fed with waste products, such as molasses and grey water, unlike Cupriavidis necator which can only grow in glucose based media.

Extraction Technologies
The current method of extracting PHAs from Cupriavidis necator is via the use of organic solvents and centrifugation. This method, however, is economically and environmentally unattractive as it uses large quantities of organic solvent. A new extraction technique is being developed where the bacterial strain spontaneously releases up to 80% of its intracellular PHA, allowing for quicker and more efficient harvesting.

Evaluation
The use of Biopol is certainly attracting interest due to its biodegradability and sustainability. Although recent technological advances have helped to speed up research in Biopol, its high production costs and low production speed threatens its use in the future. If implemented effectively, Biopol and other biopolymers can almost replace the petroleum based plastics industry in its entirety. More research is required however, to transform what Biopol is today into a nextgeneration plastic material of the future.

Bibliography
North, G. 2006. YEAR 12 2006 - biopolymer - biopol. [online] Available at: http://y12.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=yay&action=display&thread=198 Verlinden, R.A.J.; Hill, D.J.; Kenward, M.A.; Williams, C.D.; Radecka, I. 2007. Bacterial synthesis of biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates. Journal of Applied Microbiology, pp. 1437 - 1449. S, Philip., T, Keshavarz. and I, Roy. 2007. Polyhydroxyalkanoates: biodegradable polymers with a range of applications. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, pp. 233-247.