Production of bioplastic using green algae / Amirul Banin Riduan

One of the most essential components of modern life has been plastic. The continued use of petroleum-based, non-biodegradable plastics has accelerated the depletion of fossil resources and caused environmental impact on a worldwide scale. A viable remedy to these new problems is bioplastic, which has qualities that are strikingly comparable to those of petroleum-based polymers. Although algae and cyanobacteria are viable alternatives for the manufacturing of bio-plastic, there have been few research on strain selection and the improvement of growth conditions. Under stress, algae and cynobacteria naturally collect more metabolites, however a recent study on Synechocystis sp. genetic engineering combined with abiotic challenges found up to 81% of rise in PHB level in the transformed lines. This chapter summarises a number of research that have been conducted on algal bio-plastics, covering bioplastic characteristics, genetic engineering, the existing regulatory environment, and bioplastic's potential in the future. Furthermore, the industrial uses of bioplastics as well as their potential and function in the green economy are also covered.