Development of Bio-PORec® system for polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production and its storage in mixed cultures of palm oil mill effluent (POME)

High PHA production and storage using palm oil mill effluent (POME) was investigated using a laboratory batch Bio-PORec® system under aerobic-feeding conditions. Results showed that maximum PHA was obtained at a specific rate (qp) of 0.343 C-mol/C-mol h when air was supplied at 20 ml/min. The PHA yield was found to be 0.80 C-mol/C-mol acetic acid (HAc) at microaerophilic condition and the mass balance calculation showed that PHA production increased up to 15.68 ± 2.15 C-mmol/cycle. The experiments showed that short feeding rate, limited requirements for electron acceptors (e.g. O2, NO3) and nutrients (N and P) showed lower tendency of glycogen accumulation and contributed more to PHA productivity.