Influence of Growth Media on PHA production: A Study on Coconut Rhizosphere soil Bacteria in Minimal salt Media and Tender Coconut Water

Plastics have excellent thermal and electrical insulation qualities and are affordable, strong, and resistant to corrosion. A wide variety of goods with multiple benefits are made possible by the diversity of polymers and the adaptability of their qualities. There are serious worries about the negative impacts on both people and wildlife. The production of plastics depends on limited resources, and worries about the compounding effects of various plastic usage patterns are contributing to the world'swaste management issues. Acharjee et al. (2023) demonstrate that plastic wastes, such as packaging, electrical equipment, and plastics from end-of-life vehicles, are significant components of both household and industrial wastes. The landfill'scapacity is limited, and in certain places, landfills are rapidly approaching, so from a number of angles, it appears that the disposal of plastic is a cause for concern. (Acharjee et al., 2023).

For packaging applications, biodegradable polymers that are similar to conventional petrochemical-based plastics in terms of their functions and processing capabilities have been created; these are usually derived from renewable raw ingredients like cellulose and starch. Biodegradable plastic packaging is popular because it uses renewable raw materials and manages end-of-life trash via anaerobic digestion or composting, which minimises landfilling. Given the increasing emphasis on trash generation and management as crucial environmental components of modern civilisation, the disposal of old waste materials is very vital. Waste management must benefit from biodegradable polymers (Song et al., 2009).

Polyesters called polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are naturally occurring and collect as granules inside bacterial cells. The physiochemical and thermal characteristics of PHA vary depending on the producing organism and the conditions of cultivation. Many bacteria produce poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), one of the most prevalent types of PHAs. Because of their biodegradability and biocompatibility, these bio-based plastic products are intended to take the place of traditional plastics in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. It is crucial to evaluate the genetic makeup, variety, and end products of bacteria that create PHAs in order to achieve this goal (Vicente et al., 2023).

For the best growth and metabolism, microorganisms need a variety of micronutrients in the right amounts in their ideal growing medium. While trace elements like sulphur, phosphate, vitamins, and so on are micronutrients, carbon and nitrogen are the main sources for microbial development. Additionally, natural medium has long been used as a source for microbial propagation. Because the little salted media is where PHA-producing bacteria are cultivated. 95% water, 4% sugars, 0.1% fat, 0.02% calcium, 0.01% phosphorus, 0.5% iron, significant amounts of amino acids, mineral salts, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, and cytokines makeup Tender Coconut Water (TCW), the liquid endosperm found in the coconut fruit'scavity. These nutrients may also provide similar favourable conditions for the growth of bacteria that produce PHAs (Sekar et al., 2013). It has been established that bacteria are capable of growing in tender coconut water. However, limited information is available regarding the extraction of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) from coconut rhizosphere soil bacteria cultivated in tender coconut water. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to compare the extraction of PHAs from coconut rhizosphere soil bacteria grown in minimal salt medium (MSM) and tender coconut water (TCW).