Polymers are synonymous with the modern way of living. However, polymers with a large carbon foot... more Polymers are synonymous with the modern way of living. However, polymers with a large carbon footprint, especially those derived from nonrenewable petrochemical sources, are increasingly perceived as detrimental to the environment and a sustainable future. Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a microbial biopolymer and a plausible alternative for renewable sources. However, PHA in its monomeric forms has very limited applications due to its limited flexibility, tensile strength, and moldability. Herein, the life cycle of PHA molecules, from biosynthesis to commercial utilization for diverse applications is discussed. For clarity, the applications of this bioplastic biocomposite material are further segregated into two domains, namely, the industrial sector and the medical sector. The industry sectors reviewed here include food packaging, textiles, agriculture, automotive, and electronics. High-value addition of PHA for a sustainable future can be foreseen in the medical domain. Properties such as biodegradability and biocompatibility make PHA a suitable candidate for decarbonizing biomaterials during tissue repair, organ reconstruction, drug delivery, bone tissue engineering, and chemotherapeutics.
Journal of Surfactants and Detergents, Jun 28, 2022
The Sambhar Salt Lake in Rajasthan, India, offers a unique opportunity to explore halophilic surf... more The Sambhar Salt Lake in Rajasthan, India, offers a unique opportunity to explore halophilic surfactin‐producing microorganisms with industrial application. The phylogenetic study, comparative genomics combined with chemotaxonomic research provided insight into the interspecies relativeness of Bacillus sp. Considering the nonribosomal protein sequences (NRPS), Bacillus haynesii strain SAII strain and Bacillus swezeyi strain SEIII showed a high degree of conservation. In silico studies of the isolated Bacillus sp. confirmed the presence of NRPS indicating the presence of surfactin‐type lipopeptide biosurfactants. Structural investigation using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, liquid quadrupole triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, 1H Nuclear mass resonance of the crude biosurfactant revealed further similarities among these two Bacillus species. Methyl esters of the crude biosurfactant indicated high likeliness among them and indicated the presence of pentadecanoic acid and tetradecanoic acid as the crucial fatty acids. Enhanced recovery of oil from contaminated sand using 100% crude biosurfactant ranged from 20% ± 0.05 to 69.20% ± 1.22. This opens the door to a bright future for understanding the molecular diversity of closely related halophilic Bacillus sp. and the potential use of the extracted biosurfactants for bioremediation of contaminants.
Polymers are synonymous with the modern way of living. However, polymers with a large carbon foot... more Polymers are synonymous with the modern way of living. However, polymers with a large carbon footprint, especially those derived from nonrenewable petrochemical sources, are increasingly perceived as detrimental to the environment and a sustainable future. Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a microbial biopolymer and a plausible alternative for renewable sources. However, PHA in its monomeric forms has very limited applications due to its limited flexibility, tensile strength, and moldability. Herein, the life cycle of PHA molecules, from biosynthesis to commercial utilization for diverse applications is discussed. For clarity, the applications of this bioplastic biocomposite material are further segregated into two domains, namely, the industrial sector and the medical sector. The industry sectors reviewed here include food packaging, textiles, agriculture, automotive, and electronics. High-value addition of PHA for a sustainable future can be foreseen in the medical domain. Properties ...
Microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are proteinaceous storage granules ranging from 100 nm to 5... more Microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are proteinaceous storage granules ranging from 100 nm to 500 nm. Bacillus sp. serve as unique bioplastic sources of short-chain length and medium-chain length PHA showcasing properties such as biodegradability, thermostability, and appreciable mechanical strength. The PHA can be enhanced by adding functional groups to make it a more industrially useful biomaterial. PHA blends with hydroxyapatite to form nanocomposites with desirable features of compressibility. The reinforced matrices result in nanocomposites that possess significantly improved mechanical and thermal properties both in solid and melt states along with enhanced gas barrier properties compared to conventional filler composites. These superior qualities extend the polymeric composites’ applications to aggressive environments where the neat polymers are likely to fail. This nanocomposite can be used in different industries as nanofillers, drug carriers for packaging essential hormo...
Polymers are synonymous with the modern way of living. However, polymers with a large carbon foot... more Polymers are synonymous with the modern way of living. However, polymers with a large carbon footprint, especially those derived from nonrenewable petrochemical sources, are increasingly perceived as detrimental to the environment and a sustainable future. Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a microbial biopolymer and a plausible alternative for renewable sources. However, PHA in its monomeric forms has very limited applications due to its limited flexibility, tensile strength, and moldability. Herein, the life cycle of PHA molecules, from biosynthesis to commercial utilization for diverse applications is discussed. For clarity, the applications of this bioplastic biocomposite material are further segregated into two domains, namely, the industrial sector and the medical sector. The industry sectors reviewed here include food packaging, textiles, agriculture, automotive, and electronics. High-value addition of PHA for a sustainable future can be foreseen in the medical domain. Properties such as biodegradability and biocompatibility make PHA a suitable candidate for decarbonizing biomaterials during tissue repair, organ reconstruction, drug delivery, bone tissue engineering, and chemotherapeutics.
Journal of Surfactants and Detergents, Jun 28, 2022
The Sambhar Salt Lake in Rajasthan, India, offers a unique opportunity to explore halophilic surf... more The Sambhar Salt Lake in Rajasthan, India, offers a unique opportunity to explore halophilic surfactin‐producing microorganisms with industrial application. The phylogenetic study, comparative genomics combined with chemotaxonomic research provided insight into the interspecies relativeness of Bacillus sp. Considering the nonribosomal protein sequences (NRPS), Bacillus haynesii strain SAII strain and Bacillus swezeyi strain SEIII showed a high degree of conservation. In silico studies of the isolated Bacillus sp. confirmed the presence of NRPS indicating the presence of surfactin‐type lipopeptide biosurfactants. Structural investigation using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, liquid quadrupole triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, 1H Nuclear mass resonance of the crude biosurfactant revealed further similarities among these two Bacillus species. Methyl esters of the crude biosurfactant indicated high likeliness among them and indicated the presence of pentadecanoic acid and tetradecanoic acid as the crucial fatty acids. Enhanced recovery of oil from contaminated sand using 100% crude biosurfactant ranged from 20% ± 0.05 to 69.20% ± 1.22. This opens the door to a bright future for understanding the molecular diversity of closely related halophilic Bacillus sp. and the potential use of the extracted biosurfactants for bioremediation of contaminants.
Polymers are synonymous with the modern way of living. However, polymers with a large carbon foot... more Polymers are synonymous with the modern way of living. However, polymers with a large carbon footprint, especially those derived from nonrenewable petrochemical sources, are increasingly perceived as detrimental to the environment and a sustainable future. Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a microbial biopolymer and a plausible alternative for renewable sources. However, PHA in its monomeric forms has very limited applications due to its limited flexibility, tensile strength, and moldability. Herein, the life cycle of PHA molecules, from biosynthesis to commercial utilization for diverse applications is discussed. For clarity, the applications of this bioplastic biocomposite material are further segregated into two domains, namely, the industrial sector and the medical sector. The industry sectors reviewed here include food packaging, textiles, agriculture, automotive, and electronics. High-value addition of PHA for a sustainable future can be foreseen in the medical domain. Properties ...
Microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are proteinaceous storage granules ranging from 100 nm to 5... more Microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are proteinaceous storage granules ranging from 100 nm to 500 nm. Bacillus sp. serve as unique bioplastic sources of short-chain length and medium-chain length PHA showcasing properties such as biodegradability, thermostability, and appreciable mechanical strength. The PHA can be enhanced by adding functional groups to make it a more industrially useful biomaterial. PHA blends with hydroxyapatite to form nanocomposites with desirable features of compressibility. The reinforced matrices result in nanocomposites that possess significantly improved mechanical and thermal properties both in solid and melt states along with enhanced gas barrier properties compared to conventional filler composites. These superior qualities extend the polymeric composites’ applications to aggressive environments where the neat polymers are likely to fail. This nanocomposite can be used in different industries as nanofillers, drug carriers for packaging essential hormo...
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Papers by Pavni Rekhi