Abstract
Plastic pollution, resulting from the persistence of conventional polymers, remains a critical environmental challenge that necessitates the development of biodegradable alternatives. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) represent an attractive solution, being naturally synthesized by microorganisms under nutrient-limited conditions. This study investigates the production of PHAs using lignocellulosic wood waste, specifically sal and teak residues, as an economical carbon source. Fermentable sugars were obtained via dilute sulfuric acid hydrolysis (10% w/v biomass with 4% v/v H2SO4), incubated at 120 °C for 1 h, and filtered to yield a hydrolysate containing approximately ~ 36 mg/mL total reducing sugars (DNS assay). The hydrolysate served as the carbon source in bioprocess optimization (optimal carbon concentration: 2.50%, equivalent to 25 g/L). Potential PHA-producing isolates were screened using Nile Blue and Sudan Black staining. The most efficient producer, Klebsiella pneumoniae strain DSM 30,104 (MK2023), confirmed through 16 S rRNA sequencing, demonstrated notable PHA accumulation. Process parameters—including carbon and nitrogen concentrations and Temperature—were optimized through Plackett–Burman Design (PBD) followed by Response Surface Methodology (RSM) using a face-centered central composite design. Optimal production was achieved at 2.50% carbon, 0.105% nitrogen, and 34 °C, yielding 5.7 mg/mL PHA after 72 h with 10% (v/v) inoculum. UV–Vis and FTIR analyses confirmed the polymer’s identity as polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). The study highlights wood waste as a viable, low-cost substrate for PHA synthesis, promoting sustainable biopolymer production while advancing circular bioeconomy practices.
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Data availability
The datasets generated and analysed during the current study are available in the GenBank repository, and isolate *Klebsiella pneumoniae* DSM 30104 (MK2023) 16s ribosomal RNA gene (Partial sequence) submitted in GenBank with accession number OR362761: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/OR362761.
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Acknowledgements
The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research and Graduate Studies at King Khalid University for funding this work through the Large Project Number, R.G.P. 2/744/46, and the authors acknowledge the Research Center for Advanced Materials (RCAMS) at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia, for their valuable technical support.
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Mukesh Kumar: writing—review and editing, validation, data curation, visualization; Amar Yasser Jassim: Writing- Reviewing and Editing, validation, data curation; Anand Mohan and Deepak Kumar: Writing- Reviewing and Editing, validation, data curation; Rohan Samir Kumar Sachan and Gaurav Kumar: Writing- Reviewing and Editing, visualization, validation, data curation; Manickam Selvaraj and Manoj Kumar Sarangi: Writing- Reviewing and Editing, validation, data curation; Arun Karnwal: Writing- original draft, Writing- Reviewing and Editing, Conceptualization, validation, data curation, visualization; Natalia Nesterova: Writing- Reviewing and Editing, Conceptualization, validation, data curation, visualization.
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Kumar, M., Jassim, A.Y., Sachan, R.S.K. et al. Optimization of polyhydroxyalkanoate biopolymer production from lignocellulosic wood waste using statistical experimental designs. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-47567-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-47567-7
