Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
(eISSN: 2229-4473)
Production and characterization of polyhydroxyalkanoates from seaweed associated bacteria
*Article not assigned to an issue yet
Alagarsamy Atsaya, Rajendiran Ramya, Kooloth Anju, Pasupathi Mukil Sukitha, Velu Rajesh Kannan
Research Articles | Published: 20 April, 2026
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Keywords: Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), Biopolymers, Seaweed-associated bacteria, Biodegradation, FT-IR and SEM characterization
Abstract
Plastics, derived from petrochemicals, are a type of resistant compound extensively used in agriculture, medicine, and various other sectors. Their inability to decompose poses a significant environmental threat. Consequently, biopolymers produced by microbes can serve as alternatives to synthetic plastics. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable polymers created by different bacteria from substrates like sugars and fatty acids. This study aimed to isolate and characterize PHA–producing bacteria from seaweed and to evaluate their potential for biodegrading selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In this research, we gathered seaweed samples and isolated the bacteria associated with them. The ability of these bacteria to produce PHA was assessed using Sudan Black B staining, and their efficiency was evaluated by examining growth in a PHA production medium. The molecular identification of the efficient strain was identified as Bacillus tequilensis (CR4). PHA production was optimized using glucose and molasses as carbon sources, and the resulting PHA was characterized through FT-IR and SEM analysis. Additionally, this strain demonstrated the ability to degrade PAHs, indicating metabolic versatility. However, these findings suggest that seaweed-associated PHA-producing bacteria possess dual potential for biopolymer production and environmental bioremediation. This study is limited by the lack of large-scale production analysis, and future research focuses on genetic characterization of PHA producing bacteria and process optimization for industrial scale production.
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Author Information
Rhizosphere Biology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Bharathidasan University, Trichy, India