EVALUATION OF POLYHYDROXYALKANOATES PRODUCING BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM SOILS WITH WASTES OF Cocos nucifera

Abstract

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are polyesters produced and accumulated in prokaryotes as carbon and energy storage materials. These polymers can be used to produce biodegradable plastics. Actually, the industrial production of PHAs for the manufacture of biodegradable plastics has a high production cost due to the use of expensive carbon substrates. An alternative to reduce these costs is the use of wastes from renewable resources. Coconut biomass, which is the most abundant agroindustrial waste in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, has a promising potential as a primary or secondary feedstock for PHAs production. In this research, it is identified and evaluated the PHAs producing bacteria isolated from soil where Cocos nucifera waste and fiber in decomposition are accumulated. It was found six bacteria capable of producing PHAs in different concentrations (0.06 to 0.422 g/L). These strains belong to the genus Staphylococcus and Bacillus . The production of PHAs of Bacillus megaterium isolate S15 was characterized, and turned out to be the best PHAs accumulating bacterium. A bank of strains capable of producing polyhydroxyalkanoates was obtained for future studies.