Optimisation of poly-β-hydroxyalkanoate analysis using gas chromatography for enhanced biological phosphorus removal systems

Poly-β-hydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a polymer commonly used in carbon and energy storage for many different bacterial cells. Polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) and glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs), store PHA anaerobically through metabolism of carbon substrates such as acetate and propionate. Although poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and poly-β-hydroxyvalerate (PHV) are commonly quantified using a previously developed gas chromatography (GC) method, poly-β-hydroxy-2-methylvalerate (PH2MV) is seldom quantified despite the fact that it has been shown to be a key PHA fraction produced when PAOs or GAOs metabolise propionate. This paper presents two GC-based methods modified for extraction and quantification of PHB, PHV and PH2MV from enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) systems. For the extraction of PHB and PHV from acetate fed PAO and GAO cultures, a 3% sulfuric acid concentration and a 2–20 h digestion time is recommended, while a 10% sulfuric acid solution digested for 20 h is recommended for PHV and PH2MV analysis from propionate fed EBPR systems.