Page 54 - Plastics News November 2021

TECHNoLoGY

Polymer-Coated Nanoparticles To Promote Honeywell Unveils

Drug Delivery To The Brain Plastics Recycling

Technology

oneywell has announced
Hthe commercialisation of a
revolutionary process that expands
the types of plastics that can be
recycled and can produce feedstock
used to make recycled plastics with
a lower carbon footprint. The new
technology can reduce the need for
fossil fuels in the creation of virgin
plastics while enabling hundreds of
cycles of recycling, with the goal
of enabling a circular economy for
plastics. Honeywell's UpCycle Process
esearcher Jean-Michel Rabanel, easily cleared by the body. The first Technology utilises industry-leading
Runder the supervison of Professor coating, made of polyethylene glycol molecular conversion, pyrolysis,
Charles Ramassamy, at the Institut (PEG), had already been tested on and contaminants management
national de la recherche scientifique the zebrafish, whose transparent body technology to convert waste plastic
(NRS), is optimizing polymer- makes it possible to see the distribution back to Honeywell Recycled Polymer
coated nanoparticles to increase their of nanoparticles virtually in real time. Feedstock, which is then used to create
permeability across this barrier and The second coating, made of new plastics. The UpCycle Process
consequently the delivery of encapsulated zwitterionic polymer, was compared technology expands the types of
drugs in the brain.Treating diseases under the same conditions. "With this plastics that can be recycled to include
such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's is a type of experiment, we demonstrated waste plastic that would otherwise go
challenge because drugs have to be able that the zwitterionic polymer, which in unrecycled, including coloured, flexible,
to cross the blood-brain barrier. As a theory is more biocompatible since it's multilayered packaging and polystyrene.
result, the doses administered must be similar to molecules at the cell's surface, When used in conjunction with other
high and only a small fraction reaches have a better access to the brain.
the brain, which can lead to significant However, it is more rapidly absorbed by
systemic side effects. To solve this blood vessel walls, which reduces their
issue, the postdoctoral researcher Jean- circulation time," explained Professor
Michel Rabanel, under the supervison Ramassamy. Thus, PEG remains
of Professor Charles Ramassamy, at the most attractive coating polymer
the Institut national de la recherche with respect to the bloodstream,
scientifique (NRS), is optimizing while the zwitterionic polymer would
polymer-coated nanoparticles. In their potentially result in a weaker immune
recent study, the team demonstrated the system response. Professor Ramassamy
effectiveness of a specific polymer with pointed out that a mixture of both
zwitterion properties. These molecules polymers could be considered to
are neutral overall, and have an equal leverage the benefits of each. The study chemical and mechanical recycling
number of positive and negative charges suggests that the drug coating is a very processes – along with improvements
to mimic the molecules on the cell's important factor in the therapeutic use to collection and sorting – Honeywell's
surface. The researchers compared of nanoparticles for delivering drugs technology has the potential to increase
the characteristics of two polymer directly to the brain and improving the amount of global plastic waste that
coatings on the polylactic acid (PLA) the treatment for neurodegenerative can be recycled to 90%.
nanoparticles, a biocompatible material diseases.

54 PLASTICS NEWS NOVEMBER 2021