Title |
To be, or not to be biodegradable ... that is the question for the bio-based plastics |
ID_Doc |
10019 |
Authors |
Prieto, A |
Title |
To be, or not to be biodegradable ... that is the question for the bio-based plastics |
Year |
2016 |
Published |
Microbial Biotechnology, 9.0, 5 |
DOI |
10.1111/1751-7915.12393 |
Abstract |
Global warming, market and production capacity are being the key drivers for selecting the main players for the next decades in the market of bio-based plastics. The drop-in bio-based polymers such as the bio-based polyethylene terephtalate (PET) or polyethylene (PE), chemically identical to their petrochemical counterparts but having a component of biological origin, are in the top of the list. They are followed by new polymers such as PHA and PLA with a significant market growth rate since 2014 with projections to 2020. Research will provide improved strains designed through synthetic and systems biology approaches; furthermore, the use of low-cost substrates will contribute to the widespread application of these bio-based polymers. The durability of plastics is not considered anymore as a virtue, and interesting bioprospecting strategies to isolate microorganisms for assimilating the recalcitrant plastics will pave the way for in vivo strategies for plastic mineralization. In this context, waste management of bio-based plastic will be one of the most important issues in the near future in terms of the circular economy. There is a clear need for standardized labelling and sorting instructions, which should be regulated in a coordinated way by policy-makers and material producers. |
Author Keywords |
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Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
Document Type |
Other |
Open Access |
Open Access |
Source |
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) |
EID |
WOS:000386999300017 |
WoS Category |
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology; Microbiology |
Research Area |
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology; Microbiology |
PDF |
https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.12393
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