Chamizo-Ampudia Alejandro, Alonso Raúl M, Ariza-Carmona Luisa, Sanchiz África, San-Martín María Isabel
Biochemistry, Department of Molecular Biology, University of León, 24071 León, Spain.
Instituto de Biología Molecular, Genómica y Proteómica (INBIOMIC), Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, 24071 León, Spain.
Bioengineering (Basel). 2025 Jun 5;12(6):616. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering12060616.
The growing demand for sustainable bioplastics has driven research toward more efficient and cost-effective methods of producing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Among the emerging strategies, bioelectrochemical technologies have been identified as a promising approach to enhance PHA production by supplying electrons to microorganisms either directly or indirectly. This review provides an overview of recent advancements in bioelectrochemical PHA synthesis, highlighting the advantages of this method, including increased production rates, the ability to utilize a wide range of substrates (including industrial and agricultural waste), and the potential for process integration with existing systems. Various bioelectrochemical systems (BES), electrode materials, and microbial strategies used for PHA biosynthesis are discussed, with a focus on the roles of electrode potentials and microbial electron transfer mechanisms in improving the polymer yield. The integration of BES into PHA production processes has been shown to reduce costs, enhance productivity, and support the use of renewable carbon sources. However, challenges remain, such as optimizing reactor design, scaling up processes, and improving the electron transfer efficiency. This review emphasizes the advancement of bioelectrochemical technologies combined with the use of agro-industrial waste as a carbon source, aiming to maximize the efficiency and sustainability of PHA production for large-scale industrial applications.
对可持续生物塑料日益增长的需求推动了对生产聚羟基脂肪酸酯（PHA）更高效、更具成本效益方法的研究。在新兴策略中，生物电化学技术已被视为一种有前景的方法，可通过直接或间接向微生物提供电子来提高PHA的产量。本综述概述了生物电化学PHA合成的最新进展，强调了该方法的优势，包括提高生产率、能够利用多种底物（包括工农业废弃物）以及与现有系统进行工艺整合的潜力。讨论了用于PHA生物合成的各种生物电化学系统（BES）、电极材料和微生物策略，重点关注电极电位和微生物电子转移机制在提高聚合物产量中的作用。已证明将BES整合到PHA生产过程中可降低成本、提高生产率并支持使用可再生碳源。然而，挑战依然存在，例如优化反应器设计、扩大工艺规模以及提高电子转移效率。本综述强调了生物电化学技术与将农业工业废弃物用作碳源相结合的进展，旨在使大规模工业应用中PHA生产的效率和可持续性最大化。
