Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have made a breakthrough discovery. They have harnessed E. coli bacteria convert Plastic to paracetamol:- PET plastic waste into acetaminophen, better known as paracetamol, in just 24 hours. This is a Revolutionary Biotech Breakthrough.
How It Works: Bacteria as Chemical Factories
The process uses genetically engineered E. coli that break down PET plastic into its molecular building blocks, then reassemble these into drug precursors. All of this happens in a tiny lab setup, at room temperature, and within a single day. It’s fast, efficient, and compact, no need for massive industrial machinery or extreme heat.
Dual Wins: Tackling Pollution and Fossil Fuel Reliance(Revolutionary Biotech Breakthrough)
Typically, paracetamol is made from petrochemical feedstocks. By using plastic, an abundant pollutant as the starting material, this method tackles two environmental issues at once: plastic waste and fossil fuel dependence. A clever twist on recycling that turns pollution into health benefits.
Promise and Caveats: From Lab to Market
Although this is a major scientific milestone, scaling it up remains a challenge. The team must still prove it works at industrial volumes while ensuring safety, consistency, and economic viability. It’s exciting but not yet ready for your aspirin shelf.
Industry Collaboration & Future Prospects
The research, published in Nature Chemistry, was funded by the UK’s EPSRC and supported by AstraZeneca through Edinburgh Innovations. Ian Hatch from Edinburgh Innovations emphasized the importance of partnerships to translate this innovation into real-world applications inviting collaborators to help build “living microbial factories” that could one day produce sustainable chemicals and medicines.
This breakthrough is more than just clever recycling—it’s a glimpse into a future where biology, chemistry, and engineering unite to close the loop on waste and fuel sustainable drug manufacturing. Keep an eye on this space; paracetamol from plastic might soon leap from lab benches to production lines.
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