Valorization of wood waste for enhanced polyhydroxybutyrate production by Klebsiella sp. MK3.

Rahul Thakur, Abhinav Kumar, Arun Karnwal, Mukesh Kumar, Abinet Gosaye Ayanie, Rohan Samir Kumar Sachan, Dharmesh Sur, Sathiyamoorthy Manickkam, Hamad Almujibah

Journal: Scientific reports 2025;15(1):18205

PMID: 40414903

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Abstract

The valorization of wood waste as a sustainable bacterial feedstock for the production of Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is explored in this study, aiming to provide an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plastics. Wood waste, treated with 4% sulfuric acid, served as the carbon source for isolating bacteria from Jalandhar waste streams, with the strain Klebsiella sp. MK3 identified as the most effective in PHB production after 16s rRNA sequencing. Analytical methods including the Molisch test, DNS, and sugar utilization tests confirmed sugar presence and consumption by the bacterial isolate. Media optimization using Design Expert 12.0 utilized a quadratic model, achieving a robust fit with an R² value of 98.6%. Optimization via Plackett-Burman design and response surface methodology enhanced PHB yield to 4.37 mg/mL, a significant increase over previous benchmarks. This yield was achieved under optimal conditions of 1.7% carbon concentration, 0.105% nitrogen concentration, and a constant temperature of 37 °C. Qualitative analysis of PHB by UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, and NMR confirmed its purity and composition. The study highlights the potential of wood waste and wastewater as substrates for cost-effective PHB production, with significant applications in packaging, agriculture, medicine, and more, thus promoting reduced reliance on non-renewable resources and advancing sustainability goals.

Address: Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, GNA University, Phagwara, 144401, Punjab, India. [email protected].; Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, GNA University, Phagwara, 144401, Punjab, India.; Department of Microbiology, School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, 144411, Punjab, India.; Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Marwadi University Research Center, Marwadi University, Rajkot, 360003, Gujarat, India.; Department of Chemistry, Chandigarh Engineering College, Chandigarh Group of Colleges-Jhanjeri, Mohali, 140307, Punjab, India.; Department of Nuclear and Renewable Energy, Ural Federal University Named after the First President of Russia Boris Yeltsin, Ekaterinburg, 620002, Russia.; Centre for Research Impact & Outcome, Chitkara University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Chitkara University, Rajpura, India.; Department of Mechanical Engineering and Renewable Energy, Technical Engineering College, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq.; Faculty-Chemical Engineering, Higher Colleges of Technology, Ruwais Women's College, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Adama Science and Technology University, Adama, 2552, Ethiopia. [email protected].; Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif City, 21974, Saudi Arabia.

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-01305-7

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MeSH Terms: Wood, Klebsiella, Hydroxybutyrates, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Polyesters, Polyhydroxybutyrates