Page 81 - Plastics News July 2025
P. 81
PRODUCT NEWS
cell from other substances. However, the E coli The team say that by using this form of E coli
used in the experiments was genetically modi- they were able to turn the PET-based starting
fied to block these pathways, meaning the bac- material into paracetamol in under 24 hours,
teria had to use the PET-based material. with low emissions and a yield of up to 92%.
The researchers say the results are exciting as While further work would be needed to produce
they suggest plastic waste can be converted paracetamol in this way at commercial levels,
into biological material. the results could have a practical application.
“It is a way to just completely hoover up plastic “It enables, for the first time, a pathway from
waste,” said Wallace. plastic waste to paracetamol, which is not pos-
sible using biology alone, and it’s not possible
The researchers then genetically modified the using chemistry alone,” Wallace said.
E coli further, inserting two genes – one from
mushrooms and one from soil bacteria – that Source - https://www.theguardian.com
enabled the bacteria to convert PABA into par-
acetamol.
July 2025 PLASTICS NEWS 81
