Bacterial polymers as materials for the development of micro/nanoparticles

Bacterial polysaccharides and polyhydroxyalkanoates present physical and chemical characteristics that impart them diverse functional properties, including the ability to produce structures from nano- to macroscale (e.g., spheres, capsules, beads). Such structures may be specially designed to fulfill the requirements of specific applications in different areas, either alone or conjugated with other polymers by means of ionic interactions, hydrogen bonding, or chemical reactions. The interest on using such biomaterials has been increasing due to their unique functional properties, nontoxicity, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. The fields of application of bacterial polymers-based structures include drug delivery, biomedicine, food products, environment, and agriculture, among others.