US 8,618,245 B2 · Preparation of PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates) from a citric residue

Abstract

The present invention relates to an obtainment process of biodegradable polymers from a citric residue resulting from the processing of orange juice. The polymers obtained are polyesters classified as polyhydroxyalkanoates including, among them the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate). The biodegradable polymer is obtained from the batch culture process or fed batch culture process with or without recirculation of the cells, using as a carbon source the pre-treated pressing liquor and/or the citric molasses. The polyhydroxyalkanoates, herein described, can be used as substitutes of the synthetic polyesters in different areas, including the food, pharmaceutical, medical, agricultural and other areas.

Claims18

Dependent claims

Obtainment process of polyhydroxcyalkanoate (PHA) from the citric residue, wherein it comprises the following steps:

a) obtaining a pressing liquor and/or citric molasses;
b) physical-chemical treating of the material obtained in the step a to obtain a supernatant material;
c) preparing a culture medium for the production of PHA wherein in the step c, the culture medium is prepared through an addition of essential nutrients to the culture process to the supernatant material and the added nutrients are selected among nitrogen, phosphor, sulphur, magnesium, potassium, oxygen, oligonutrients or a mixture of them;
d) conducting a culture process on said culture medium at a temperature of 25° C. to 40° C., and wherein the oligonutrients are selected among molybdenum, manganese, cobalt, zinc, nickel, copper and boron, and a mixture of them.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Preparation of PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates) from a citric residue

Life of this patent

Preparation of PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates) from a citric residue

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18