Investigating chemical pre-treatment methods: Valorization of wheat straw to enhance polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production with novel isolate Bacillus paranthracis RSKS-3

Wheat is a crucial food crop worldwide, generating straw upon post-harvest. The straw is often burned to enhance soil fertility, leading to massive air pollution. In this study, wheat straw was investigated for the production of Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) using the novel isolate Bacillus paranthracis RSKS-3. The wheat straw was pulverized and valorized with different acids (2% and 4% H2SO4, acetic acid, and hydrochloric acid) and alkalis (2% and 4% NaOH, calcium carbonate, and potassium hydroxide). The validation of carbohydrates was done using the Molisch test by analyzing purple-ring production and the DNS test which concluded 4% H2SO4 as an effective treatment with a maximal sugar yield of 5.04 mg mL-1 at P<0.05. The bioconversion efficiency of the extract to PHA resulted in 0.87 g L-1 by Bacillus paranthracis RSKS-3, later characterized by Ultraviolet (UV)-spectroscopy and FT-IR assessment. The findings of the research offer a potential strategy to mitigate airborne pollutants that result from smouldering wheat straw, thereby contributing significant improvements to sustainable development.