cff-version: 1.2.0
abstract: "<p>Recycling biobased biodegradable plastics such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and polylactic acid (PLA) is essential for developing a circular economy. This study presents an integrated strategy that combines batch hydrothermal processing at 150℃ with continuous open-culture fermentation to convert PHA and PLA into C<sub>2</sub>-C<sub>6</sub> carboxylates. Co-hydrolysis in a carboxylic acid solution significantly enhanced PHA depolymerization compared to PHA hydrolysis alone. Among various catalytical supplements, PLA addition notably improved PHA hydrolysis, achieving up to 91% dissolution. Throughout fermentation, acetate and <em>n</em>-butyrate were the primary products. In Phase VI, co-fermentation of PHA hydrolysates (~10 g/L 3-hydroxybutyrate) and PLA hydrolysates (5 g/L lactate) yielded acetate (4.4 g/L), <em>n</em>-butyrate (8.0 g/L), and <em>n</em>-caproate (0.3 g/L), while also reducing the need for KOH for pH control. An overall conversion efficiency of 89% from bioplastics to carboxylates was achieved, with a high <em>n</em>-butyrate selectivity of 71%. Supplementing with ethanol (7 g/L) further enhanced chain elongation, increasing <em>n</em>-butyrate concentration to 10.1 g/L, although excess ethanol oxidation was observed. This study demonstrates, for the first time, the successful continuous open-culture fermentation of PHA and PLA hydrolysates into carboxylates. Microbial community analysis identified <em>Clostridium tyrobutyricum</em> as a key species likely responsible for dominant <em>n</em>-butyrate production.</p>"
authors:
  - family-names: Jin
    given-names: Yong
    orcid: "https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3896-8784"
  - family-names: Beckmans
    given-names: Ralf
  - family-names: de Leeuw
    given-names: Kasper D.
  - family-names: Strik
    given-names: David
title: "Data underlying the research of Efficient Hydrothermal Pretreatment of Mixed PHA/PLA and Consequent Continuous Anaerobic Fermentation into VFA"
keywords:
version: 1
identifiers:
  - type: doi
    value: 10.4121/7b56b29c-eeac-4536-95d8-eb8927aba78c.v1
license: CC BY 4.0
date-released: 2025-07-18