Wed Jun 25 12:55:13 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the science piece, designed for “The Hindu”:
**The Hindu: Science For All**
**Bacteria Turn Plastic Waste into Paracetamol in Lab Breakthrough**
**Updated – June 26, 2025 12:47 pm IST**
**By [Your Name Here, or Science Desk]**
**CHENNAI:** In a promising step towards plastic waste recycling and sustainable chemistry, scientists at the University of Edinburgh have successfully engineered *Escherichia coli* bacteria to break down plastic components and produce paracetamol, a common pain reliever. The research, published in [Name of Journal if known], demonstrates the potential for using living organisms to upcycle plastic waste into valuable chemicals.
The team leveraged a classic chemical reaction, the Lossen rearrangement, inside the bacteria cells. They engineered a mutant strain of *E. coli* that required para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) for growth. They then fed the bacteria a synthetic compound derived from terephthalic acid, a building block of PET plastic bottles. The Lossen rearrangement reaction, catalyzed by phosphate ions within the cells, released PABA, allowing the bacteria to thrive.
Crucially, the researchers found that the bacteria could perform this reaction even when fed PET plastic that had been broken down, demonstrating a direct link between plastic waste consumption and biomass production.
Furthermore, the engineered bacteria were able to perform additional chemical tasks simultaneously, highlighting the potential for combining biological and chemical processes within a single system. In a final step, the team introduced a two-enzyme pathway that converted the PABA produced by the Lossen rearrangement into paracetamol, achieving an impressive conversion rate of up to 92%.
“This research offers a tantalizing glimpse into the future of bioremediation and sustainable chemical production,” explains [Quote from a scientist not involved in the research or a local expert, if possible, for Indian context and gravitas. Something like: “Dr. [Name], a chemical engineer at IIT Madras, noted that this research could provide a new avenue for India to tackle its growing plastic waste problem and produce valuable pharmaceuticals domestically.”]. The findings suggest that with further development, engineered bacteria could play a significant role in addressing the global plastic waste crisis while simultaneously producing valuable chemicals.
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