Downloads provided by UsageCounts
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are well-known biodegradable plastics produced by various bacterial strains, whose major drawback is constituted by the high cost of their synthesis. Producing PHAs from mixed microbial cultures and employing organic wastes as a carbon source allows us to both reduce cost and valorize available renewable resources, such as food waste and sewage sludge. However, different types of pollutants, originally contained in organic matrices, could persist into the final product, thus compromising their safety. In this work, the exploitation of municipal wastes for PHA production is evaluated from the environmental and health safety aspect by determining the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in both commercial and waste-based PHA samples. Quantification of PAHs by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry on 24 PHA samples obtained in different conditions showed very low contamination levels, in the range of ppb to a few ppm. Moreover, the contaminant content seems to be dependent on the type of PHA stabilization and extraction, but independent from the type of feedstock. Commercial PHA derived from crops, selected for comparison, showed PAH content comparable to that detected in PHAs derived from organic fraction of municipal solid waste. Although there is no specific regulation on PAH maximum levels in PHAs, detected concentrations were consistently lower than threshold limit values set by regulation and guidelines for similar materials and/or applications. This suggests that the use of organic waste as substrate for PHA production is safe for both the human health and the environment.
sewage sludge, Bacteria, Sewage, Communication, Polyhydroxyalkanoates, Organic chemistry, biopolymers, Waste Disposal, Fluid, municipal waste, QD241-441, Bioreactors, pollutants, Humans, contaminants, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, biopolymers; contaminants; municipal waste; pollutants; sewage sludge
sewage sludge, Bacteria, Sewage, Communication, Polyhydroxyalkanoates, Organic chemistry, biopolymers, Waste Disposal, Fluid, municipal waste, QD241-441, Bioreactors, pollutants, Humans, contaminants, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, biopolymers; contaminants; municipal waste; pollutants; sewage sludge
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 9 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
| views | 3 | |
| downloads | 2 |

Views provided by UsageCounts
Downloads provided by UsageCounts