Bioplastics from Renewable Sources

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2025 | Viewed by 433

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology, Polytechnic Center, Federal University of Parana, Rua Cel. Francisco H. dos Santos-100, Curitiba CEP 81530-000, PR, Brazil
Interests: bioplastics; polyhydroxyalkanoates; agricultural residues; biorefinery

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the emerging field of bioplastics derived from renewable sources within the biorefinery framework. Bioplastics, which are biodegradable and made from plant-based materials, offer a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics, which rely on fossil fuels. As the world increasingly faces challenges related to plastic pollution and climate change, the development of bioplastics has become a critical area of research. This Special Issue will explore the latest advancements in the production of bioplastics from renewable biomass feedstocks, such as agricultural residues, forest products, and algae, within biorefineries. These integrated systems not only produce bioplastics, but also offer a more sustainable, circular approach to bioresource management, including waste valorization, energy generation, and biofuel production. We welcome research that investigates various bioplastics such as polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), and cellulose- and starch-based plastics, as well as innovations in production processes that enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and minimize environmental impact.

Prof. Dr. Luciana Porto De Souza Vandenberghe
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bioplastic
  • biorefinery
  • polyhydroxyalkanoates
  • polylactic acid
  • starch
  • cellulose

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

14 pages, 2340 KiB  
Article
Corn or Soybean Oil as the Sole Carbon Source for Polyhydroxybutyrate Production in a Biofuel Biorefinery Concept
by Clara Matte Borges Machado, Luciana Porto de Souza Vandenberghe, Ariane Fátima Murawski de Mello and Carlos Ricardo Soccol
Polymers 2025, 17(3), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17030324 - 25 Jan 2025
Viewed by 355
Abstract
The use of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) can help diminish fossil chemical dependency because it can partially replace petrochemical plastics due to its biodegradability and similar mechanical properties. However, its production costs are high compared with fossil-based plastics. Alternative carbon sources can be used in [...] Read more.
The use of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) can help diminish fossil chemical dependency because it can partially replace petrochemical plastics due to its biodegradability and similar mechanical properties. However, its production costs are high compared with fossil-based plastics. Alternative carbon sources can be used in the fermentation media because they are renewable and low-cost. Vegetable oils are especially attractive due to their high carbon content, contributing to high production rates per gram of substrate. This work aimed to produce PHB from Cupriavidus necator LPB1421 using either corn or soybean oil as the sole carbon source. Urea was the best nitrogen source, enabling a DCW production of 4.35 g/L (corn oil) and 10.4 g/L (soybean oil). After media optimization, the DCW of corn oil reached 22.13 g/L, with 57.46% PHB accumulation (12.71 g PHB/L), whereas soybean oil led to a DCW of 19.83 g/L, with 54.91% PHB accumulation (10.89 g PHB/L). This media composition was employed in a kinetics assay, revealing similar fermentation parameters among both oils and a yield of 0.2118 g PHB/g for corn oil and 0.1815 g PHB/g for soybean oil. These results open the possibility of integrating PHB production with biofuel manufacturing in a bioethanol/biodiesel biorefinery concept. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioplastics from Renewable Sources)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop