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Polymers
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Production and Potential Uses of Biopolymers from Natural Sources and...
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Production and Potential Uses of Biopolymers from Natural Sources and Agro-Industrial Waste II

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 January 2025 | Viewed by 3949

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Giuseppe Squillaci

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via P. Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
Interests: sustainable extraction; polyphenols; antioxidant; waste valorization; exopolysaccharides; halophilic microorganisms circular economy; bioactive compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Alessandra Morana

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via P. Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
Interests: bioactive compounds; waste valorization; antioxidants; pigments; extremophilic microorganisms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The interest in research on polymers from natural sources has grown in recent years. In addition, the need for innovative products is now combined with the interest in low-environmental-impact production systems. From this perspective, scientific research has focused on obtaining production processes that involve the use of agro-industrial waste of little interest to obtain innovative products with high added value. Many of these products can be counted among biopolymers. The great variety of chemical structures offered by nature allows for the classification of various types of molecules as "biopolymers": from enzymes to polysaccharides such as inulin and bacterial exopolysaccharides, to microbial polyesters such as polyhydroxyalkanoates, to polyphenolic-based polymers such as lignin and tannins. The fields of application are equally varied. They range from biotransformations mediated by enzymes to medical and cosmetic applications, and from bioplastics to food packaging and bioremediation through the uptake of pollutants.

This Special Issue, “Production and Potential Uses of Biopolymers from Natural Sources and Agro-Industrial Waste II”, therefore aims to collect and present the most recent advances in the field of biopolymers, from production to innovative properties, to any applications. The natural sources covered by this Special Issue belong to both the plant kingdom and microorganisms, whereas agro-industrial waste mainly refers to, but is not limited to, biomass that is currently poorly exploited. We would like to invite researchers of the sector to take part in this Special Issue by submitting a contribution in their field of expertise. Both original research papers or reviews are welcome.

Dr. Giuseppe Squillaci
Dr. Alessandra Morana
Guest Editors

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

  • agro-industrial waste
  • bioplastics
  • biopolymers
  • biomaterials
  • enzymes
  • exopolysaccharides
  • food-packaging
  • polyhydroxyalkanoates
  • tannins

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 4871 KiB  
Article
Microbial Biosynthesis of Medium-Chain-Length Polyhydroxyalkanoate (mcl-PHA) from Waste Cooking Oil
by Ahmed M. Elazzazy, Khawater Ali Abd, Noor M. Bataweel, Maged M. Mahmoud and Afra M. Baghdadi
Polymers 2024, 16(15), 2150; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16152150 - 29 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1079
Abstract
Waste cooking oil is a common byproduct in the culinary industry, often posing disposal challenges. This study explores its conversion into the valuable bioplastic material, medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (mcl-PHA), through microbial biosynthesis in controlled bioreactor conditions. Twenty-four bacterial isolates were obtained from oil-contaminated soil [...] Read more.
Waste cooking oil is a common byproduct in the culinary industry, often posing disposal challenges. This study explores its conversion into the valuable bioplastic material, medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (mcl-PHA), through microbial biosynthesis in controlled bioreactor conditions. Twenty-four bacterial isolates were obtained from oil-contaminated soil and waste materials in Mahd Ad-Dahab, Saudi Arabia. The best PHA-producing isolates were identified via 16S rDNA analysis as Neobacillus niacini and Metabacillus niabensis, with the sequences deposited in GenBank (accession numbers: PP346270 and PP346271). This study evaluated the effects of various carbon and nitrogen sources, as well as environmental factors, such as pH, temperature, and shaking speed, on the PHA production titer. Neobacillus niacini favored waste cooking oil and yeast extract, achieving a PHA production titer of 1.13 g/L, while Metabacillus niabensis preferred waste olive oil and urea, with a PHA production titer of 0.85 g/L. Both strains exhibited optimal growth at a neutral pH of 7, under optimal shaking -flask conditions. The bioreactor performance showed improved PHA production under controlled pH conditions, with a final titer of 9.75 g/L for Neobacillus niacini and 4.78 g/L for Metabacillus niabensis. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) confirmed the biosynthesized polymer as mcl-PHA. This research not only offers a sustainable method for transforming waste into valuable materials, but also provides insights into the optimal conditions for microbial PHA production, advancing environmental science and materials engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Production and Potential Uses of Biopolymers from Natural Sources and Agro-Industrial Waste II)
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12 pages, 1840 KiB  
Article
Production, Purification, and Characterization of a Cellulase from Paenibacillus elgii
by Chien Thang Doan, Thi Ngoc Tran, Thi Phuong Pham, Thi Thanh Thao Tran, Ba Phong Truong, Thi Tinh Nguyen, The Manh Nguyen, Thi Quynh Hoa Bui, Anh Dzung Nguyen and San-Lang Wang
Polymers 2024, 16(14), 2037; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16142037 - 17 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1332
Abstract
Cellulases are one of the most essential natural factors for cellulose degradation and, thus, have attracted significant interest for various applications. In this study, a cellulase from Paenibacillus elgii TKU051 was produced, purified, and characterized. The ideal fermentation conditions for cellulase productivity were [...] Read more.
Cellulases are one of the most essential natural factors for cellulose degradation and, thus, have attracted significant interest for various applications. In this study, a cellulase from Paenibacillus elgii TKU051 was produced, purified, and characterized. The ideal fermentation conditions for cellulase productivity were 2% carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as the growth substrate, pH = 8, temperature of 31 °C, and 4 days of culturing. Accordingly, a 45 kDa cellulase (PeCel) was successfully purified in a single step using a High Q column with a recovery yield of 35% and purification of 42.2-fold. PeCel has an optimal activity at pH 6 and a temperature of 60 °C. The activity of cellulase was significantly inhibited by Cu2+ and enhanced by Mn2+. The PeCel-catalyzed products of the CMC hydrolysis were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography, which revealed chitobiose and chitotriose as the major products. Finally, the clarity of apple juice was enhanced when treated with PeCel. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Production and Potential Uses of Biopolymers from Natural Sources and Agro-Industrial Waste II)
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14 pages, 3801 KiB  
Article
Blends of Carboxymethyl Cellulose and Cottonseed Protein as Biodegradable Films
by Huai N. Cheng, Atanu Biswas, Gary Kuzniar, Sanghoon Kim, Zengshe Liu and Zhongqi He
Polymers 2024, 16(11), 1554; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16111554 - 31 May 2024
Viewed by 879
Abstract
With the increasing awareness of plastic pollution in the environment and the accumulation of microplastics in water, a significant amount of research and development is ongoing to replace the synthetic plastics in packaging and coatings. In this work, we explored the blends of [...] Read more.
With the increasing awareness of plastic pollution in the environment and the accumulation of microplastics in water, a significant amount of research and development is ongoing to replace the synthetic plastics in packaging and coatings. In this work, we explored the blends of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and washed cottonseed meal (CSM, consisting mostly of cottonseed protein) as agro-based, biodegradable, and sustainable alternatives to plastics. Glycerol was found to be a suitable plasticizer for these blends. The blends of CMC/CSM were produced as single-layer films from 50 to 90 μm in thickness, consisting of different proportions of the components and plasticizer. The evaluated properties included opacity, water vapor permeability, mechanical properties, thermogravimetric analysis, moisture sorption analysis, and water swelling test. Higher percentages of CSM in the blend resulted in higher opacity and lower water vapor permeation rates. The mechanical strength waned with lower levels of CMC. Possible applications for these blends include their use as water-soluble food packaging and coatings and as dissolvable bags and pouches for detergents and agrochemicals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Production and Potential Uses of Biopolymers from Natural Sources and Agro-Industrial Waste II)
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