Scotland, United Kingdom (Enmaeya News) — A team of researchers in Scotland has discovered a new way to turn plastic waste into acetaminophen—the main ingredient in Tylenol—using common bacteria and a process similar to how beer is brewed.
Their method, featured in the journal Nature Chemistry, shows that a type of plastic called PET—commonly used in water bottles and food containers—can be broken down and turned into the pain-relieving drug within 24 hours, and without producing harmful carbon emissions. The work was supported by pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
“This work demonstrates that PET plastic isn’t just waste, or a material destined to become more plastic,” said lead researcher Stephen Wallace from the University of Edinburgh. “It can be transformed by microorganisms into valuable new products, including those with potential for treating disease.”
Right now, acetaminophen is made using fossil fuels. The new method could offer a greener alternative—but more research is needed before it’s ready for large-scale production. PET plastic makes up more than 350 million tons of waste globally each year.
Microplastics Found in Human Reproductive Fluids
Meanwhile, researchers are sounding the alarm after finding microplastics—tiny plastic particles—in human reproductive fluids.
The study, presented at a major fertility conference in Paris, found these particles in the egg-protecting fluid of 69% of women and in the sperm of 55% of men who were part of the study.
The plastics identified included familiar types like Teflon, polystyrene, and PET.
“In animals, microplastics can induce inflammation, damage to tissues and to DNA, and hormonal disruptions,” said Emilio Gomez-Sanchez of Next Fertility Murcia in Spain.
Another team, led by Manel Boussabeh from Tunisia, showed that sperm exposed to microplastics in lab tests suffered DNA damage and swam less effectively. Other studies have found similar plastic particles in the testicles of dogs and humans, suggesting they may be linked to fertility problems.
New Hope for Treating Chronic Inflammation
In a separate medical breakthrough, scientists have found a way to switch off chronic inflammation without affecting the body’s natural ability to fight off infections and short-term illnesses.
The research, published in Nature, focuses on a protein called WSTF. This protein helps control inflammation, but it disappears in the body when someone suffers from long-term conditions like arthritis, obesity, or inflammatory bowel disease.
By bringing WSTF back into cells in lab tests, researchers were able to calm chronic inflammation while keeping normal immune responses intact.
They even developed a drug that protects WSTF and helps stop the process that causes inflammation to spiral out of control. The treatment showed promise in mice and in tissue samples from patients with chronic joint pain.
“Chronic inflammatory diseases cause a great deal of suffering and death, but we still have much to learn about what drives chronic inflammation and how to treat it,” said Zhixun Dou of Massachusetts General Hospital, who led the study.
“Our findings help us separate chronic and acute inflammation, as well as identify a new target for stopping chronic inflammation that results from aging and disease,” he added.
