Novel approaches for PHA isolation from bacterial biomass

The aim of this diploma thesis was study of the isolation of polyhydroxyalkanoates using a commercial surfactant and selected biosurfactants, which were sophorolipids, coconut soap, lecithin, lauryl glucoside, coco glucoside and cocamidopropyl betaine. PHA was isolated from Schlegelella thermodepolymerans DSM 15344, where the amount of NaCl in the production medium was first optimized. The molecular weight of the isolated polymer was analyzed by SEC-MALS. The largest structural changes were recorded for coconut soap. Possible impurities in the isolated polymer were analyzed by infrared spectrometry (ATR-FTIR). The least protein contamination of the polymer was recorded with coconut soap. From the above biosurfactants, coconut soap, lauryl glucoside and coco glucoside were selected, because the highest purity of PHA was obtained. However, coconut soap had the greatest potential. The isolation temperature and surfactant concentration were optimized for selected biosurfactants. The best results were obtained at 90 °C and a concentration of 5 g/L. Furthermore, the versatility of the isolation method was tested using selected biosurfactants on various thermophilic microorganisms, which were Chelatococcus composti DSM 101465, Schlegelella thermodepolymerans DSM 15264, Tepidimonas taiwanensis LMG 22826 and Aneurinibacillus thermoaerophilus H1