Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Microbial Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) 1.2 Microbial Poly(hydroxyalkanoates) 1.3 Environmentally Degradable Polyesters References Chapter 2 Fermentation and Analysis of Microbial Polyesters 2.1 Fermentation Production 2.1.1 Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) 2.1.
2 Poly(hydroxyalkanoates) 2.2 Polymer Isolation 2.2.1 Solvent Extraction 2.2.2 Alkaline Hypochlorite Treatment 2.2.3 Enzyme Treatment 2.
3 Analysis 2.3.1 Polyester Content of Cells 2.3.2 Composition of Copolymers 2.3.3 Molecular Weight References Chapter 3 Microorganisms and Poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) 3.1 Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) in Microorganisms 3.
1.1 Functions of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) 3.1.2 Structure of Native P(3HB) Granules 3.2 Biosynthesis of Poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) 3.2.1 Alcaligenes eutrophus 3.2.
2 Pseudomonas oleovorans 3.2.3 Other Bacterial Strains 3.3 Molecular Structures of Poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) 3.3.1 Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyalerate) 3.3.2 Poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates-co-3-hydroxy--chloroalkanoates) References Chapter 4 Poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) Metabolism 4.
1 Pathways of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Synthesis 4.2 Pathways of Poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) Synthesis 4.3 Enzymology of Poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) Synthesis 4.3.1 3-Ketothiolase 4.3.2 Acetoacetyl-CoA Reductase 4.3.
3 P(3HB) Synthase 4.4 Pathways of P(3-hydroxybutyrate) Degradation 4.5 Cyclic Nature of Poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) Metabolism 4.5.1 Replacement of P(3HB) by P(3HB-co-3HV) 4.5.2 Replacement of P(3HB-co-3HV) by P(3HB) 4.5.
3 Application to PHA Fermentation References Chapter 5 Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) 5.1 Alcaligenes eutrophus and Carbon Substrates 5.2 Molecular Structure 5.3 Biosynthetic Pathway References Chapter 6 Structure and Properties of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) 6.1 Crystal Structure and Properties 6.1.1 Crystal Structure 6.1.
2 Solid-State Properties 6.2 Solution Properties References Chapter 7 Solid-State Properties of Copolyesters 7.1 Composition and Physical Properties 7.1.1 X-Ray Diffraction Analysis 7.1.2 Solid-State CP/MAS 13C-NMR Analysis 7.1.
3 Mechanical Properties 7.2 Thermal Properties 7.2.1 Melting Temperatures 7.2.2 Glass-Transition Temperatures 7.2.3 Thermal Stability 7.
3 Kinetics of Crystallization References Chapter 8 Biodegradation of Microbial Polyesters 8.1 Extracellular P(3HB) Depolymerase 8.1.1 Pseudomonas lemoignei 8.1.2 Alcaligenes faecalis 8.2 Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Copolyesters 8.3 Simple Hydrolysis of Polyesters 8.
4 Applications and Prospects 8.4.1 Environmentally Degradable Plastics 8.4.2 Medical Applications References Index.