Environmental analysis of plastic production processes: Comparing petroleum-based polypropylene and polyethylene with biologically-based poly-β-hydroxybutyric acid using life cycle analysis

Journal of Biotechnology

Volumn 130, Issue 1, 2007, Pages 57-66

  Harding, K G ^a   Dennis, J S ^b   von Blottnitz, H ^a   Harrison, S T L ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN   (South Africa)

^b UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Bioplastics; Life cycle assessment (LCA); Polyethylene; Polyhydroxyalkanoate; Polyhydroxybutyrate; Polypropylene

Indexed keywords

CRUDE PETROLEUM; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT; LIFE CYCLE; OLEFINS; POLYETHYLENES; POLYPROPYLENES; RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES;

BIOPLASTICS; LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA); POLYHYDROXYALKANOATES; POLYHYDROXYBUTYRATES;

PLASTICS;

CARBON DIOXIDE; PETROLEUM; PLASTIC; POLY(3 HYDROXYBUTYRIC ACID); POLYETHYLENE; POLYPROPYLENE;

ARTICLE; CONTROLLED STUDY; ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT; HUMAN; LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT; NONHUMAN; PRIORITY JOURNAL; PRODUCTIVITY; RECYCLING;

BIODEGRADATION, ENVIRONMENTAL; BIOREACTORS; BIOTECHNOLOGY; CUPRIAVIDUS NECATOR; EQUIPMENT DESIGN; HYDROXYBUTYRATES; PETROLEUM; PLASTICS; POLYESTERS; POLYETHYLENE; POLYPROPYLENES; WATER POLLUTANTS;

EID: 34247393752     PISSN: 01681656     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2007.02.012     Document Type: Article

References (38)

1. Ackerman J.-U., and Babel W. Approaches to increase the economy of the PHB production. Polym. Degrad. Stabil. 59 (1998) 183-186
2. Akiyama M., Tsuge T., and Doi Y. Environmental life cycle comparison of polyhydroxyalkanoates produced from renewable carbon resources by bacterial fermentation. Polym. Degrad. Stabil. 80 (2003) 183-194
3. ®). In: Doi Y., and Steinbüchel A. (Eds). Biopolymers, Polyesters III: Applications and Commercial Products (Vol. 4) (2002), Wiley-VCH, Münster 53-90
4. Baker C.G.J., and McKenzie K.A. Energy consumption of industrial dryers. Dry. Technol. 23 1-2 (2005) 365-386
5. Botha T. A comparison of the environmental benefits of bagasse-derived electricity and fuel ethanol on a life-cycle basis. Energ. Policy 34 (2006) 2654-2661
6. Boustead I. Eco-profiles of plastics and related intermediates, Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe (APME) (2000), Brussels, Belgium
7. Chen G.Q., Zhang G., Park S.J., and Lee S.Y. Industrial scale production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate). Appl. Microbiol. Biot. 57 (2001) 50-55
8. Crank M., Patel M., Marscheider-Weidemann F., Schleich J., Hüsing B., and Angerer G. Techno-economic Feasibility of Large-scale Production of Bio-based Polymers in Europe (PRO-BIP) (2004), European Commission, Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS), Sevilla, Spain
9. Delft, 2004. Industrieel Ontwerpen - Delft [online], Delft University of Technology, Available from: http://www.io.tudelft.nl/research/dfs/idemat/Onl_db/Typ113.htm, [Accessed 14 October 2005].
10. Dennis, J.S., 2000. Protease production, MS-Excel spreadsheet, selected data.
11. Doi Y. Microbial Polyesters (1990), VCH Publishers, New York
12. DSMZ, 2006. Bacterial Nomenclature up-to-date (approved lists, validation lists), Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, April 2006, Available from: http://www.dsmz.de/download/bactnom/bactname.pdf.[Accessed 5 May 2006].
13. Engler C.R. Disruption of microbial cells. In: Moo-Young M. (Ed). Comprehensive Biotechnology: The Priciples, Applications & Regulations of Biotechnology in Industry, Agriculture and Medicine, Vol.2, The Principles of Biotechnology: Engineering Considerations (1985), Pergamon Press, New York Chapter 20
14. Frischknecht R., and Suter P. Öko-inventare von Energiesystemen. third ed. (1996), ETH-ESU
15. Gerngross T.U. Can biotechnology move us toward a sustainable society?. Nat. Biotechnol. 17 (1999) 541-544
16. Gerngross T.U., and Slater S.C. How green are green plastics?. Sci. Am. 2000 (2000) 36-41
17. Godbole S., Gote S., Latkar M., and Chakrabarti T. Preparation and characterization of biodegradable poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-starch blend films. Bioresour. Technol. 86 (2003) 33-37
18. Grothe E., Moo-Young M., and Chisti Y. Fermentation optimization for the production of poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid) microbial thermoplastic. Enzyme Microb. Tech. 25 (1999) 132-141
19. Harrison, S.T.L., 1990. The extraction and purification of Alicaligens eutrophus, PhD dissertation, Cambridge University.
20. Heijungs R., Guinée J.B., Huppes G., Langkreijer R.M., Udo de Haes H.A., Wegner Sleeswijk A., Aasems A., Eggels P.G., van Duin R., and de Goede H.P. Environmental Life Cycle Analysis of Products: Backgrounds and Guide (1992), Centre of Environmental Science, Leiden University, Leiden
21. Heyde M. Ecological considerations on the use and production of biosynthetic and synthetic biodegradable polymers. Polym. Degrad. Stabil. 59 (1998) 3-6
22. Khanna S., and Srivastava A.K. Recent advances in microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates. Process Biochem. 40 (2005) 607-619
23. Kim B.S. Production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) from inexpensive substrates. Enzyme Microb. Tech. 27 (2000) 774-777
24. Kurdikar D., Paster M., Gruys K.J., Fournet L., Gerngross T.U., Slater S.C., and Coulon R. Greenhouse gas profile of a plastic derived from a genetically modified plant. J. Ind. Ecol. 4 3 (2001) 107-122
25. Lee S.Y. Plastic bacteria? Progress and prospects for polyhydroxyalkanoate production in bacteria. Trends Biotechnol. 14 (1996) 431-438
26. Lee S.Y., and Choi J. Effect of fermentation performance on the economics of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) production by Alcaligenes latus. Polym. Degrad. Stabil. 59 (1998) 387-393
27. Luck, T., 1996. Feasability-Studie Polyhydroxyfettsäuren - Kurzdarstellung der Ergebnisse der Studien 'Feasibility-Studie zur Abschätzung des Marktpotentials neuer Polyhydroxyfet-tsäuren (PHF)' und 'Abschätzende Ökobilanzen zu Polymerwerkstoffen auf der Basis biologisch erzeugter Polyhydroxyfettsäuren', Fraunhofer Institut für Lebensmitteltechnologie und Verpackung (ILV), Freising, Germany. Cited Patel et al. 2002.
28. Nonato R.V., Mantelatto P.E., and Rossell C.E.V. Integrated production of biodegradable plastic, sugar and ethanol. Appl. Microbiol. Biot. 57 (2001) 1-5
29. In: Ogorkiewicz R.M. (Ed). Engineering Properties of Thermoplastics, Imperical Chemical Industries (ICI) Ltd., Plastics Division (1970), Wiley-Interscience, London
30. Patel M., Bastioli C., Marini L., and Würdinger E. Life-cycle assessment of bio-based polymers and natural fibre composites. In: Steinbüchel A. (Ed). Biopolymers, General Aspects and Special Applications (vol. 10) (2002), Wiley-VCH, Münster
31. In: Perry R.H., Green D.W., and Maloney J.O. (Eds). Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook. sixth ed. (1984), McGraw-Hill, International edition
32. Reddy C.S.K., Ghaii R., and Rashmi K.C. Polyhydroxyalkanoates: an overview. Bioresour. Technol. 87 (2003) 137-146
33. Steinbüchel A., and Füchtenbusch B. Bacterial and other biological systems for polyester production. Tibtech 16 (1998) 419-427
34. Sudesh K., Abe H., and Doi Y. Synthesis, structure and properties of polyhydroxyalkanoates: biological polyesters. Prog. Polym. Sci. 25 (2000) 1503-1555
35. Theka, E., 2002. A life-cycle assessment of ethanol produced from sugarcane molasses, M.Sc. dissertation, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town.
36. Wang F., and Lee S.Y. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) production with high productivity and high polymer content by a fed-batch culture of Alcaligenes latus under nitrogen limitation. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 63 9 (1997) 3703-3706
37. Yu S.T., Lin C.C., and Too J.R. PHBV production by Ralstonia eutropha in a continuous stirred tank reactor. Process Biochem. (2005) 40-2734
38. Zinn M., Witholy B., and Egli T. Occurrence, synthesis and medical application of bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates. Adv. Drug Deliver. Rev. 53 (2001) 5-21