Published Paper Details:

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biopolymers synthesized by numerous microorganisms as carbon and energy storage entities in the cell under conditions of limited nutrients and excess carbon source. These biopolymers are now of great interest for being biodegradable and biocompatible constituents for plastic materials that are considered eco-friendly alternatives for conventional petroleum-based plastics. Accordingly, any effort directed toward the isolating and characterizing of PHA-producing microbes is an important step toward improving the efficiency and commercialization potential of bioplastic production. In this review, we address different techniques used for the isolation of the potential PHA producers from various sources of environmental samples, such as soil and water to marine ecosystems. Standard screening techniques like Sudan Black B staining and Nile Blue A staining alongside modern molecular and genetic tools are discussed for the confirmation. Morphological, biochemical, and molecular characterizations further contribute to the identification of some chemically and physically robust strains that may possess certain industrial advantages. This review therefore emphasizes the importance of traditional culturable and advanced genomic methodologies on the selection of high-yielding putative microorganisms that are tolerant to environmental stressors. Research on PHA-producing microorganisms will thus bring forward greener technologies and eventually allow for the engineering of microorganisms for better biopolymer synthesis.