Environmental concentrations of polyhydroxyalkanoates and their potential as bioindicators of pollution

A quick and inexpensive protocol based on gas chromatography was used to id entify and measure environmental concentrations of microbial polyhydroxyalk anoates, PHAs. Samples taken from apparently unpolluted sites characterised by agricultural land or native vegetation possessed concentrations ranging from 0.12 to 0.40 mg PHA per g sample. In contrast, environments impacted by anthropogenic activity displayed concentrations 14 to 40 times higher. T he results support the suggestion that PHAs could be used as pollution bioi ndicators in preliminary assessments of environmental health.