Trump has begun another trade war. Here's a timeline of how we got here
Canada's leader laments lost friendship with US in town that sheltered stranded Americans after 9/11
Chinese EV giant BYD's fourth-quarter profit leaps 73%
You're an American in another land? Prepare to talk about the why and how of Trump 2.0
Chalk talk: Star power, top teams and No. 5 seeds headline the women's March Madness Sweet 16
Purdue returns to Sweet 16 with 76-62 win over McNeese in March Madness
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh discovered a method to convert plastic waste into paracetamol using genetically modified bacteria, potentially revolutionizing pharmaceutical manufacturing and plastic recycling. The research, published in Nature Chemistry, demonstrates how E. coli bacteria can transform polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles into the world's most commonly used painkiller with 92% efficiency and virtually no carbon emissions.
The innovation addresses two critical environmental challenges simultaneously: the 350 million tons of PET plastic waste generated annually and the carbon-intensive pharmaceutical manufacturing processes that rely heavily on fossil fuels.
Professor Stephen Wallace, chair of chemical biotechnology at the University of Edinburgh and lead author of the study, explained that "people don't realise that paracetamol comes from oil currently." The new technology demonstrates how merging chemistry and biology can produce paracetamol more sustainably while cleaning up plastic waste from the environment.
The research team discovered that a chemical reaction known as the Lossen rearrangement, which had never been observed in nature, was biocompatible with living cells. This 152-year-old synthetic reaction, which typically requires harsh laboratory conditions, occurred spontaneously in the presence of E. coli bacteria, catalyzed by naturally occurring phosphate within the cells themselves.
The team converted PET plastic into terephthalic acid, which the genetically modified bacteria then transformed into PABA, an essential substance bacteria need for DNA synthesis. To complete the pharmaceutical transformation, researchers inserted two additional genes into the E. coli—one from mushrooms and one from soil bacteria—enabling the bacteria to convert PABA into paracetamol.
The fermentation process, similar to beer brewing, operates at room temperature and produces 90% paracetamol from the recycled plastic material within 24 hours. Wallace emphasized that this represents the first successful pathway from plastic waste to paracetamol, which is impossible using either chemistry or biology alone.
The environmental implications of this discovery are substantial. Traditional pharmaceutical manufacturing has a carbon footprint 55% more emission-intensive than the automotive industry, according to the research. Thousands of tons of fossil fuels are burned annually to power factories producing paracetamol and other medicines. The bacterial conversion method reduces this environmental impact by operating with virtually no carbon emissions.
However, safety concerns regarding genetically modified bacteria for drug production remain a critical consideration. Research indicates that horizontal gene transfer between bacteria could have unknown effects, and biocontainment strategies are essential to prevent environmental spread of modified organisms. Scientists emphasize the importance of implementing genetic circuits, auxotrophic mechanisms, and synthetic amino acid dependencies to ensure modified bacteria cannot survive outside controlled environments.
Studies demonstrated that genetically modified bacteria can overcome engineered safety measures through DNA exchange, raising concerns about the long-term effectiveness of containment. Researchers found bacteria could acquire functional genes from their environment, potentially circumventing designed limitations. The regulatory approval process for such technologies requires extensive safety testing to address these biological containment challenges.
Industry experts anticipate bio-based pharmaceutical production will become increasingly important as companies seek alternatives to petroleum-derived materials. The development of bacterial platforms capable of producing essential medicines from waste materials is a significant advancement toward sustainable drug manufacturing. Companies are already exploring biodegradable packaging materials and circular economy approaches to reduce their environmental footprint.
Ian Hatch from Edinburgh Innovations stated the university is bringing in exceptional companies to translate cutting-edge discoveries into world-changing innovations. The technology could potentially integrate with existing enzymatic PET depolymerization systems to create comprehensive waste-to-pharmaceutical platforms.
Mikael Elias, a biochemist at the University of Minnesota, described the 92% conversion yield as "really impressive," noting that augmenting biological systems with synthetic components could create versatile platforms for expanding chemistry within living systems. However, he acknowledged that commercial implementation faces barriers, including complex regulatory approval processes.
