Global Research Trends on Polyhydroxyalkanoate-Producing Microorganisms: A Bibliometric and Scientometric Analysis of Sustainable Bioplastic Biotechnology

De La Cruz-Noriega M.; Sabogal Vargas A.M.; Rojas Villacorta W.; Salvatierra Espinola W.; Quiñones-Cerna C. · Microorganisms (2026) · DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms14071550

Resumen

This scientometric and bibliometric study analyzes global research trends on polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-producing microorganisms and their applications in bio-based packaging between 2014 and 2025. Using the Scopus database and advanced tools such as Bibliometrix in RStudio and VOSviewer, scientific output and international collaboration networks were evaluated. The results demonstrate exponential growth in publications, driven by the urgent need to mitigate the petrochemical plastics crisis and develop biodegradable alternatives within the circular economy. Multidisciplinary analysis reveals a thematic shift from basic physiological and taxonomic studies towards complex applications in metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, the optimization of low-cost substrates such as industrial effluents, multi-omics tools, gene editing with CRISPR-Cas9, and, as an emerging exploratory approach, quantum modeling to optimize cell performance. Despite significant progress, critical technological gaps were identified related to challenges in downstream processing, the management of mixed microbial communities, and insufficient funding for the characterization of physicochemical and biocompatibility properties. It is concluded that, to ensure the commercial scalability and sustainability of PHAs, future research must prioritize overcoming these economic and technological bottlenecks, fostering strategic collaboration between academia and the biotechnology industry.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional de Trujillo; Universidad César Vallejo