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Geographic Information (Details 2) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Mar. 31, 2012
Revenue earned        
Revenue earned from the REFABB grant $ 1,807us-gaap_RevenueFromGrants $ 2,480us-gaap_RevenueFromGrants $ 1,971us-gaap_RevenueFromGrants  
Revenue from termination of ADM collaboration 0mblx_RevenueFromTerminationOfCollaborationWithSubsidiary 0mblx_RevenueFromTerminationOfCollaborationWithSubsidiary 38,885mblx_RevenueFromTerminationOfCollaborationWithSubsidiary  
U.S. Department of Energy        
Revenue earned        
Revenue earned from the REFABB grant 1,240us-gaap_RevenueFromGrants
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= mblx_USDepartmentOfEnergyMember		 1,640us-gaap_RevenueFromGrants
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= mblx_USDepartmentOfEnergyMember		    
Revenues | U.S. Department of Energy        
Revenue earned        
Percentage of total revenue 44.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= mblx_USDepartmentOfEnergyMember		 43.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= mblx_USDepartmentOfEnergyMember		    
Revenues | Archer Daniels Midland        
Revenue earned        
Percentage of total revenue     94.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= mblx_ArcherDanielsMidlandMember		  
ADM Polymer | Commercial Alliance Agreement | Archer Daniels Midland        
Revenue earned        
Revenue from termination of ADM collaboration       $ 38,885mblx_RevenueFromTerminationOfCollaborationWithSubsidiary
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= mblx_ADMPolymerCorporationMember
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= mblx_ArcherDanielsMidlandMember
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= us-gaap_CollaborativeArrangementMember