POTENTIAL INTEGRATIONS OF MICROWAVE TECHNOLOGY IN PROMOTING THE SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION OF POLYHYDROXYALKANOATES: A MINI REVIEW

Microwave (MW) irradiation offers rapid, selective heating at the molecular scale and underpins two advanced methods—microwave-induced-oxidation (MIO) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). MIO is already deployed industrially, especially in wastewater treatment, where it achieves high-removal efficiency without generating secondary pollutants. This review summarizes recent MIO advances in wastewater remediation and highlights its emerging role in sludge pre-treatment that enhances the anaerobic digestion and boosts volatile fatty-acid (VFA) yields. VFAs can in turn serve as cost-effective substrates for microorganisms that accumulate polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). We also detail MAE as a green, efficient alternative to conventional PHA recovery. Taken together, current evidence reveals multiple integration points at which MW-based techniques can lower cost and improve the sustainability of the entire PHA value chain.