Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have succeeded in synthesizing paracetamol from waste plastics, opening up new prospects for recycling

The University of Edinburgh has carried out a groundbreaking experiment demonstrating that the essential drug paracetamol can be synthesized from waste plastic, particularly PET bottles. Using E. coli bacteria and a chemical reaction called Lossen rearrangement, the researchers were able to convert plastic into paracetamol. Although the industrial applications are still uncertain and the reaction produces limited quantities, the study opens new avenues for recycling plastics for pharmaceutical purposes.