1 Introduction
Globalization has escalated the existing environmental issues, triggering suitable
research to mitigate these issues. Biopolymers with their biodegradability, environmentally benign mode of processing, and flexible applications are distinctive
replacement to non-sustainable products and harnessed via biorefineries with integrated bioprocesses. Biopolymers are generated by an array of microorganisms;
these when tailored make it more biocompatible and non-detrimental on living
systems. Considering the biochemical receptivity, microbial biopolymers can be
categorized as capsular, repertory, and exopolysaccharides (Schmid and Sieber
2015; Sukan et al. 2015).
Biopolymer from bacteria has created unparalleled acceptance for a range of
environmental applications, as it possesses vacillating biological functions with
versatile properties; this understanding has paved way for tailored biopolymers
with modified properties to serve as a renewable source for an array of environmental applications (Rehm 2010). Microbial polymers are essentially propagated by
fermentation or by the polymerization. Synthetic, nonbiodegradable plastic materials
could be displaced by these environmentally benign, biodegradable, renewable
sources tailored to suit particular needs (Liguori et al. 2016). Microorganisms
produce biopolymers by amassing extracellular materials such as
exopolysaccharides (EPSs) and are engaged in green chemical synthesis and to
handle diverse environmental issues (Pepe et al. 2013). These exopolysaccharides
are composed of carbs as well as non-carbs moieties (pyruvate, acetate, succinate,
and phosphate) (Llamas et al. 2012).
Microbial polymers have an extensive range of applications and can likely to
replace synthetic materials and can be harnessed from renewable source under
flexible conditions. This reduces costs related to their biosynthesis (Huang et al.
2018) and can mitigate waste management, as many agricultural residues can be
used as a substrate to cultivate the microbes capable of producing these polymers
of specific choice and interest. Having such desirable functionalities and properties, biopolymers find many applications in various sectors mainly in the environmental domain to mitigate environmental issues (Kumar et al. 2020; Tang et al.
2012). This chapter discusses such microbial biopolymers for assorted environmental applications (Fig. 7.1 and 7.2).
2 Environmental Application of Microbial Biopolymers
2.1 Oil Recovery
A wide variety of microbial polymers are used in recovery of petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated site. The basic mechanism is these biopolymers expose
hydroxyl group, which directly makes it to dipole, ion-dipole, hydrogen bonds with
138
P. Muthukumaran et al.
Globalization has escalated the existing environmental issues, triggering suitable
research to mitigate these issues. Biopolymers with their biodegradability, environmentally benign mode of processing, and flexible applications are distinctive
replacement to non-sustainable products and harnessed via biorefineries with integrated bioprocesses. Biopolymers are generated by an array of microorganisms;
these when tailored make it more biocompatible and non-detrimental on living
systems. Considering the biochemical receptivity, microbial biopolymers can be
categorized as capsular, repertory, and exopolysaccharides (Schmid and Sieber
2015; Sukan et al. 2015).
Biopolymer from bacteria has created unparalleled acceptance for a range of
environmental applications, as it possesses vacillating biological functions with
versatile properties; this understanding has paved way for tailored biopolymers
with modified properties to serve as a renewable source for an array of environmental applications (Rehm 2010). Microbial polymers are essentially propagated by
fermentation or by the polymerization. Synthetic, nonbiodegradable plastic materials
could be displaced by these environmentally benign, biodegradable, renewable
sources tailored to suit particular needs (Liguori et al. 2016). Microorganisms
produce biopolymers by amassing extracellular materials such as
exopolysaccharides (EPSs) and are engaged in green chemical synthesis and to
handle diverse environmental issues (Pepe et al. 2013). These exopolysaccharides
are composed of carbs as well as non-carbs moieties (pyruvate, acetate, succinate,
and phosphate) (Llamas et al. 2012).
Microbial polymers have an extensive range of applications and can likely to
replace synthetic materials and can be harnessed from renewable source under
flexible conditions. This reduces costs related to their biosynthesis (Huang et al.
2018) and can mitigate waste management, as many agricultural residues can be
used as a substrate to cultivate the microbes capable of producing these polymers
of specific choice and interest. Having such desirable functionalities and properties, biopolymers find many applications in various sectors mainly in the environmental domain to mitigate environmental issues (Kumar et al. 2020; Tang et al.
2012). This chapter discusses such microbial biopolymers for assorted environmental applications (Fig. 7.1 and 7.2).
2 Environmental Application of Microbial Biopolymers
2.1 Oil Recovery
A wide variety of microbial polymers are used in recovery of petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated site. The basic mechanism is these biopolymers expose
hydroxyl group, which directly makes it to dipole, ion-dipole, hydrogen bonds with
138
P. Muthukumaran et al.