title: A simple recovery process for biodegradable plastics accumulated in cyanobacteria treated with ionic liquids.
abstract: Here, we proposed a simple recovery process for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) accumulated in cyanobacteria by using ionic liquids (ILs), which dissolve cyanobacteria but not PHB. First, we investigated the effects of IL polarity on hydrogen-bonding receipt ability (β value) and hydrogen-bonding donating ability (α value) and evaluated the subsequent dissolution of cyanobacteria. We found that ILs having α values higher than approximately 0.4 and β values of approximately 0.9 were suitable for dissolution of cyanobacteria. In particular, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium methylphosphonate ([C2mim][MeO(H)PO2]) was found to dissolve cyanobacteria components, but not PHB. Thus, we verified that PHB produced in cyanobacteria could be separated and recovered by simple filtering after dissolution of cyanobacteria in [C2mim][MeO(H)PO2]. Using this technique, more than 98 % of PHB was obtained on the filter as residues separated from cyanobacteria. Furthermore, [C2mim][MeO(H)PO2] maintained the ability to dissolve cyanobacteria after a simple recycling procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Agriculture , 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Daigo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Nobuhumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohno
mesh_terms: D063566:Biodegradable Plastics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects*; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D052578:Ionic Liquids / Q000737:chemistry*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates
chemical_list: D063566:Biodegradable Plastics; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D052578:Ionic Liquids; D011091:Polyesters; C003182:poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate; D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates