Microalgae as a Source of Bioplastics

Abstract As worldwide usage for plastics continues to increase, production will need to keep up with demand. Alternative means of producing bioplastics in large quantities economically with comparable material properties to their petroleum counterparts is important for supporting a sustainable source of plastics moving forward. Microalgal biomass is a potential source for producing bioplastics, both using the biomass directly, as well as using it as a feedstock for secondary processes. Bioplastics produced from microalgae have similar characteristics to petroleum-based plastics and thus can be “dropped in” to existing infrastructure and applications. Furthermore, microalgae-derived bioplastics can also be biodegradable, which also makes them environment-friendly. In this chapter, both direct usage of microalgal biomass and derivatized microalgae biomass for bioplastic production will be discussed.