Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have succeeded in transforming certain plastic waste into acetaminophen using the natural properties of the common bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli).
…
Using synthetic biology, the scientists manipulated the bacteria to redirect their internal chemistry and transform a PET [polyethylene terephthalate]-derived molecule known as terephthalic acid into the active ingredient in acetaminophen.
…
The work, published in the journal Nature, could be the first documented case of acetaminophen production from plastic waste using E. coli. However, the authors stress that further studies will be necessary to achieve industrial-scale production.
Share this article
Despite these limitations, the scientists emphasize that their results open up new possibilities for addressing the problem of plastic waste and reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with drug manufacturing.
Currently, the production of drugs such as acetaminophen consumes thousands of tons of fossil fuels, especially petroleum, which contributes significantly to climate change. In turn, PET generates more than 350 million tons of waste per year, causing serious damage to the environment.
