The paracetamolone of the most used drugs in the world to combat fever and pain, could soon have a very different origin from what we know today. A team of researchers from the University of Edinburgh has shown that You can produce it starting from recycled plastic bottlesthanks to the help of genetically modified bacteria.
The study, published in June in the magazine Nature Chemistrysurprising scenarios opens on the possibility of transforming waste into precious health resources.
Currently paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) is synthesized starting from oil derivatives. The new method developed by the research group led by Professor Stephen Wallace instead proposes a completely different approach: Start from the Tereftolato Polyethylene (PET)plastic commonly used in bottles and packaging, to obtain a chemical precursor of the drug through a low emissions process.
The role of Ascheichia Coli
At the base of the process there is a well -known bacterium, the Escherichia coli, However, made special by targeted genetic changes. The researchers discovered that an harmless strain of E. coli can transform the pet, first chemically converted into an intermediate material, into a molecule called PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid), fundamental for the synthesis of the DNA in the bacteria themselves.
To force bacteria to use plastic material, the team has blocked their natural production mechanisms of the PABA, thus making them “employees” by the modified pet. But it does not end here: thanks to the insertion of two foreign genes – one coming from a mushroom, the other from soil bacteria – the microorganisms have been able to take one last step and transform the pace into a paracetamol.
One of the most fascinating aspects of research is the discovery of a chemical process, the so -called rearrangement of Lossen, which occurred inside bacterial cells without damaging them. This type of reaction, normally very difficult to obtain in the laboratory, has been catalyzed by the phosphate naturally present in bacteria. It is the first time that this process is observed in a biological context, and according to Wallace is the key to effectively combine chemical and biology in a single sustainable solution.
Short times, high yields, few emissions
The results are surprising not only for scientific innovation, but also for efficiency. Paracetamol was obtained in less than 24 hours, With a yield of up to 92% and a very low environmental impact. If further studies confirm the feasibility on an industrial scale, the method could open the way for a new way of producing drugs, exploiting waste materials instead of fossil resources.
Despite the enthusiasm of the scientific community, environmental NGOs maintain A prudent attitude. The fear is that technological solutions like this can feed a false perception that “all plastic can be recycled” or even justify an increase in production. The real challenge, remember, remains to reduce the consumption of plastic to the source.
It will still take time before the “recycled” paracetamol arrivals in pharmacies possibly, but the work of the University of Edinburgh undoubtedly marks a turning point.
Sources: The Guardian / Nature Chemistry
