Patent ID: 7393668

Claim:
A method for recovering a polyhydroxyalkanoate from a polyhydroxyalkanoate-containing microbial cell which comprises the following steps (a) and (b); (a) a step comprising adding an alkali to an aqueous suspension of the polyhydroxyalkanoate-containing microbial cell while stirring and carrying out a physical disruption treatment to disrupt the cell, solubilizing or emulsifying cell substances other than the polyhydroxyalkanoate in said cell, and then separating the polyhydroxyalkanoate from the aqueous suspension, and (b) a step comprising treating the separated polyhydroxyalkanoate with an enzyme and/or a surfactant to solubilize impurities adhering to the polyhydroxyalkanoate or to solubilize them after decomposing, and then washing the polyhydroxyalkanoate with a hydrophilic solvent and/or water.