Enzymatic recovery and purification of polyhydroxybutyrate produced by Ralstonia eutropha.

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is the most studied among a wide variety of polyhydroxyalkanoates, bacterial biodegradable polymers known as potential substitutes for conventional plastics. This work aimed at evaluating the use of enzymes to recover and purify the PHB produced by Ralstonia eutropha DSM545. Screening experiments allowed the selection of trypsin, bromelain and lysozyme among six enzymes, based on their efficiency in lysing cells of a non-PHB producing R.