Scientists use bacteria to turn plastic waste into medicine
One of the most widely used medicines worldwide is paracetamol. It is made from fossil fuel by-products, often through cheap and polluting methods.
A team of British researchers wanted to reduce plastic waste and climate change. They looked at the bacteria E.coli, which is usually known for making people sick if they eat contaminated food.
First, the chemists used a molecule derived from PET plastic – which is used in bottles and many other plastic products – to spark a chemical reaction in a strain of E.coli. This created a new molecule, according to the study in Nature Chemistry. The chemists were able to transform their molecule into paracetamol.
This work shows that PET plastic can be transformed into valuable new products, the study's lead, Stephen Wallace, said.
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