| Abstract Scope |
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), microbially derived polyesters, offer a promising route to biosustainable plastics, yet questions remain about their environmental breakdown and the ecological consequences of their microplastic fragments. We are engineering PHAs with tailored unsaturation and are co-polymerizing them with PLA, PS, and PP to tune properties without sacrificing compostability. Using controlled soil, compost, and activated sludge microcosms, we track degradation kinetics and microplastic formation via FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy, and metagenomic profiling. Early data show enhanced breakdown rates for unsaturated PHAs in compost and distinct microbial consortia colonizing PHA-derived microplastics versus fossil-based analogues. Initial screens suggest limited impact on antimicrobial resistance gene transfer, though ongoing sequencing will clarify these effects. This evolving project aims to link polymer design, environmental fate, and microbial interactions, providing actionable insights for circular material strategies. Further results will be presented as the work advances. |