The next Paracetamolo tablet you take could be made by PET

Researchers at The University of Edinburgh has managed to transform some paracetamol plastic waste using the natural properties of the common bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli). This turning point represents a milestone with the potential to guide more sustainable drug production methods and, at the same time, contribute to the reduction of plastic pollution globally.

The study, led by Stephen Wallace, revealed it E. coli The cells contain phosphate, an organic compound capable of catalyzing a chemical reaction known as rearrangement. In general terms, this process provides for the rearrangement of the atoms of an hydroxyamous foreign molecule to form a new structure called isocianato, a chemical intermediate which, if it reacted with water, produces primary amines. These substances are essential in numerous biological processes and in the synthesis of drugs.

Using synthetic biology, scientists have manipulated bacteria to redirect their internal chemistry and transform a molecule derived from pet known as tereftalic acid into the ingredient acetaminophen. They used a fermentation process, similar to that used in beer beer, to accelerate the conversion of industrial pets waste in the drug, obtaining results in less than 24 hours. According to the results, about 90 percent of the final product corresponded to paracetamol.

It is important to underline that this conversion has been made at room temperature and with practically no carbon emission, suggesting that the drug can be produced in a more ecological way.

Wallace observed that what was the most surprising of the process was that the rearrangement of the loss has naturally occurred within the living bacteria, without the need for laboratory catalysts. That is, they have exploited the capacity of the microbial cells to trigger the desired reaction.

“The funny thing is that we did not have to teach bacteria how to make the reaction: the makeup was realizing that they already had the tools and we just had to guide them,” explained the researcher in the declarations reported by El País. “We used synthetic biology to build new metabolic paths within the bacteria that guide their chemistry towards the production of the mixture we wanted. In this case, a drug.”

Production of sustainable drugs

The Work, published in the magazine NatureIt could be the first documented case of paracetamol production from plastic waste they use E. coli. However, the authors point out that further studies will be needed to achieve production on an industrial scale. In addition, they warn that the safety and effectiveness of the drug resulting in humans have yet to be evaluated, therefore future research will be needed.

Despite these limits, scientists point out that their results open new possibilities to deal with the problem of plastic waste and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with drug production.

Currently, the production of drugs such as paracetamol consumes thousands of tons of fossil fuels, in particular oil, which contribute significantly to climate change. In turn, Pet generates over 350 million tons of waste per year, causing serious damage to the environment. Although this material is recyclable, current methods often cause products that perpetuate pollution from global plastic.

“This work shows that plastic for pets is not just a waste product or a material destined to become more plastic: microorganisms can transform it into new precious products, including those with therapeutic potential,” concluded Wallace.

This story originally appeared on Wired en español And it was translated by the Spaniard.