Patent · US Expired

Method for obtaining polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and the copolymers thereof

US7070966B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by

6References

12Claims

0Family size

Assignee

UFZ-Umweltforschungs Zentrum Leipzig-Halle GmbH · DE

Inventors

Dirk Schumann · Lübbenau/Spreewald - Lubnjow/Błota, DE
Roland Müller · Aarau, CH

Key dates

Filing date	Mar 13, 2001
Grant date	Jul 4, 2006
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jul 21, 2022

Classification

Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
CPC primaryC12P7/625
WIPO fieldBiotechnology
WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The invention relates to an enzymatic-chemical method for obtaining polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), especially polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), or the copolymers thereof, from biomass. The inventive method comprises chemically treating the biomass with a reducing agent that reduces the non-PHA cell components of the biomass. The chemical treatment is carried out before and/or after enzymatic cell disruption. The inventive method allows, unlike other cell disruption techniques, for obtaining polyhydroxyalkanoates from biomass with a relatively low PHA content (for example <60%) without drastically changing or deteriorating the polymer properties or polymer purity.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.