Polyhydroxyalkanoate production from algal biomass

Abstract Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a family of bioproduced and biodegradable polyesters and a sustainable alternative to fossil-based plastics, yet their high production costs restrict them from traditional nonbiodegradable polymers. For an economical approach in the production of bioplastics, two factors must be considered: the use of biomass as raw material and the improvement of production processes. Therefore this chapter has analyzed the use of algae biomass (macroalgae and microalgae) as a raw material for the production of PHAs.