Biotechnological potentials of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria .2. Biopolyesters, biopesticide, biofuel, and biofertilizer

This chapter discusses the biotechnological potentials of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria II. There is an increasing demand for the use of plasticized (polyester) materials suitable for human needs and many of them which are currently being synthesized chemically are nonbiodegradable and, hence, ecologically not ideal. There is an immediate requirement to replace the nonbiodegradable polyesters by a natural and biodegradable polyester, a waste management option for polymers in the environment, and, in many cases, the demand is driven by legislation. Studies with a number of isolates of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria suggest that PHA formation is a common phenomenon among this group of microorganisms. In addition, Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) is the best-known member of the PHA series of polyesters and it is known to be produced as intracellular energy and carbon reserves which are later utilized by the bacteria for cellular growth. © 1995 Academic Press, Inc.