Chemical recycling plants closing in EU and US

Bad news! More research is certainly needed to find better and cheaper ways to recycle plastics or find better substitutes for plastics!

Is this article possibly spreading alarmism and hysteria?

"The nascent chemical recycling industry – in which plastics are broken down into oils or constituent monomers to be remade into new materials – is contracting across Europe and the US as recyclers call for policy stability to make the industry investable.

Recent closures, postponements or project cancellations ‘reflect the broader structural crisis facing the whole of Europe’s plastics recycling industry (both mechanical and chemical),’ says Maria Vera Duran, policy director at industry body Recycling Europe. ..."

Chemical recycling plants closing in EU and US | Business | Chemistry World (behind paywall) "Firms aiming to break down and re-make plastics are struggling with economic feasibility and environmental impact"

Lab glove deposits drive false microplastic signatures in atmospheric pollution samples

Let this sink in for a moment! This story already came out in March of 2026.

Reminds e.g. of the urban heat island effect that contributed to the corruption of global warming and climate change data!

Alert: Plastophobia is a serious disorder. Please seek immediate medical help! (Caution: satire)

"Particles shed from lab gloves are being misidentified as microplastics, distorting measurements of atmospheric pollution, new research shows. ..."

"The study found that gloves may unintentionally contaminate lab equipment scientists use to measure microplastics in air, water and other samples with nonplastic particles called stearates ... researchers ... suggest cleanroom gloves, which release fewer particulates, be worn instead. ..."

From the abstract:

"To attenuate microplastics pollution, we first must quantify the number and types of microplastics found in the natural environment and identify their sources. Quantifying environmental microplastics requires distinguishing synthetic polymers from other naturally occurring species. Quality assurance and control measures – including wearing gloves when handling laboratory materials and samples – seek to reduce overestimating microplastic abundance.

However, commonly used laboratory gloves release non-volatile residues, including stearate salts, that exhibit vibrational spectra similar to microplastics. In this work, we illustrate that dry surface contact with nitrile and latex laboratory gloves can cause overestimations of microplastics (mean 2000 false positives per mm2) when using traditional library matching approaches.

We recommend a nitrile cleanroom glove (mean 100 false positives per mm2) to reduce contamination.

For existing contaminated infrared and Raman spectral datasets, we outline workflows that differentiate between microplastics and stearate contamination from gloves. Applying these workflows to a case study of glove-contaminated environmental data, we illustrate that the proposed solutions reduce MP false positives at the smallest size ranges (<10 µm).

By using this approach in conjunction with our included spectral libraries of stearate standards, researchers can address glove-based contamination in environmental datasets and provide more accurate estimates of environmental microplastic abundance."

Lab glove deposits drive false microplastic signatures in atmospheric pollution samples | Research | Chemistry World "Researchers uncover contamination pathway that’s complicating efforts to understand how much plastic is in the air"

Nitrile and latex gloves may cause overestimation of microplastics, U-M study reveals

Avoiding and reducing microplastic false positives from dry glove contact (open access)

Residue from nitrile or latex gloves may unintentionally contaminate lab equipment scientists use to measure microplastics in air, water and other samples with non-plastic particles called stearates. Stearates, a kind of salt, are chemically similar at the structural level to microplastics. They also look similar visually. 

In 2025 about 2% to 5% of plastic pollution of the oceans was removed

Good news! So much for the hysteria and alarmism about plastic polluting our oceans!

"Boyan Slat claims that his non-profit The Ocean Cleanup removed over 27,000 tons of plastic from the world’s waterways in 2025, which he estimates is 2 to 5 percent of annual plastic pollution. If the operation can maintain its current rate of growth, it could meet its goal “to clean up 90% of floating ocean plastic pollution by 2040.”"

Doomslayer: Progress Roundup - by Malcolm Cochran

The Ocean Cleanup

Source

Atmospheric and human body microplastic pollution may have been exaggerated by several orders of magnitude

Will the truth about so called microplastics finally come out! Cui bono from all this often repeated alarmism and hysteria about plastic?

Alert: Plastophobia is a serious disorder. Please seek immediate medical help! (Caution: satire)

What about all the benefits of plastics in our lives? What are the possible substitutes (how healthy are the substitutes)?

"Not only has human microplastic exposure likely been overstated, but new research from the University of Vienna finds that previous estimates of atmospheric microplastic pollution may have been exaggerated by “several orders of magnitude.” By comparing real-world environmental samples with widely used models, the researchers found that modeled atmospheric microplastic levels were 100 to 10,000 times higher than what measurements actually showed."

"“High-profile studies reporting the presence of microplastics throughout the human body have been thrown into doubt by scientists who say the discoveries are probably the result of contamination and false positives…

The Guardian [???] has identified seven studies that have been challenged by researchers publishing criticism in the respective journals, while a recent analysis listed 18 studies that it said had not considered that some human tissue can produce measurements easily confused with the signal given by common plastics. ..."

"The atmosphere is an important transport medium that carries microplastics to even the most remote parts of the world. These microplastics can be inhaled and pose a health risk to humans and animals. They can also settle out of the atmosphere and contaminate oceans and soils worldwide. A new study by the Department of Meteorology and Geophysics at the University of Vienna estimates microplastic emissions from land-based and oceanic sources into the atmosphere based on global measurement data and model simulations. The results: over 20 times more microplastic particles are emitted on land than from the ocean. The study was recently published in Nature. ...

In previous studies, the ocean was often cited as the main source. ..."

From the abstract:

"Microplastics (MPs) are global pollutants, yet their atmospheric distribution is poorly understood. Although atmospheric MP measurements have become more abundant, estimates of emissions into the atmosphere vary by orders of magnitude.

Here we compile a global atmospheric MPs dataset and compare it with size-aligned MP model simulations.

Our model simulations show two to four orders of magnitude overestimation of the measured global median atmospheric MP concentrations.

Measured median concentrations over the ocean are 27 times lower than over the land (0.003 and 0.08 particles m−3, respectively). Applying a simple scaling method, we estimate that oceanic emissions are lower in number than land-based emissions.

The total global land-based and oceanic emissions are 6.1 × 1017 (1.3 × 1017 to 1.1 × 1018) particles year−1 and 2.6 × 1016 (2.7 × 1015 to 5.0 × 1016) particles year−1, respectively.

Our results indicate that fewer MP particles are emitted into the atmosphere than previously thought. Land sources dominate the number but not the mass emissions, indicating that MPs emission size distributions should be investigated further."

Doomslayer: Progress Roundup - by Malcolm Cochran

Doubt Cast on “Microplastics Throughout Human Body”

‘A bombshell’: doubt cast on discovery of microplastics throughout human body (behind paywall) "Exclusive: Some scientists say many detections are most likely error, with one high-profile study called a ‘joke’"

Microplastics in the atmosphere: higher emissions from land areas than from the ocean (original news release) "Study reveals large discrepancies between emission estimates and measurements of microplastics in the atmosphere"

Atmospheric microplastic emissions from land and ocean (open access)

Fig. 2: Scaled bottom-up emissions and comparison with top-down and bottom-up estimates.

Widely publicized studies have made extreme claims about microplastic accumulation are deeply flawed

I am not surprised! I have blogged here many times that Plastophobia is a serious medical condition and that most warnings about plastics are largely alarmism and hysteria!

"Over the past few years, a number of widely publicized studies have made extreme claims about microplastic accumulation in the human body. But a recent investigation by The Guardian finds that much of the research is deeply flawed, with many reported detections likely driven by contamination and false positives. Critics say a commonly used detection method can mistake fats in human tissue for plastic, and that some studies report amounts of microplastics that are simply “not biologically plausible.”"

Doomslayer: Progress Roundup - by Malcolm Cochran

Doubt Cast on “Microplastics Throughout Human Body”

‘A bombshell’: doubt cast on discovery of microplastics throughout human body "Exclusive: Some scientists say many detections are most likely error, with one high-profile study called a ‘joke’"

Light-driven catalyst can break down PFAS forever chemicals

Good news!

Remember so called "forever chemicals" is mostly alarmism, hysteria, and demagoguery! Unfortunately, too many scientists engage in this nonsense too!

Alert: Plastophobia is a serious disorder. Please seek immediate medical help! (Caution: satire)

What about all the benefits of plastics in our lives? What are the possible substitutes (how healthy are the substitutes)?

"But their ongoing impact on health issues in humans and other animals is being uncovered. Some PFAS are carcinogenic. The new research ... describes how a material can use light to catalyse a reaction which breaks down a range of pollutants in water including PFAS. This kind of approach has previously shown promise in breaking down PFAS. ..."

"... The process involves the use of a class of materials known as covalent organic frameworks, or COFs, whose porous structure ⎯ and hence high surface area ⎯ make them useful in light-driven, or photocatalytic, reactions. When they interact with light, some of the electrons in COF molecules get displaced, forming holes, and this bifurcation of charges is what makes COFs good photocatalysts. ..."

From the abstract:

"Nature-inspired photocatalysis provides a sustainable solution for energy conversion and pollutant degradation. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), with tunable properties and high porosity, have shown promise as photocatalysts, though their synthesis often requires extensive efforts. In this study, we report the in-situ growth of COFs on defective hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) surfaces to form hBN@1,3,5-triformylphloroglucinol (Tp)-4,4′-diamino-[1,1′-biphenyl]-3,3′-dicarbonitrile (DBCN) heterostructures. Bandgap analysis and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the formation of type-II heterojunctions, enhancing charge separation and minimizing recombination. Density functional theory simulations confirmed efficient charge transfer at the COF-hBN interface. The hBN@Tp-DBCN heterostructures demonstrated remarkable versatility, achieving nearly complete degradation of dyes, pharmaceutical waste, and persistent compounds such as perfluorooctanoic acid [PFAS]. Practical implementation in vertical and horizontal configurations further validated their application potential. This research underscores the efficacy of hBN@COFs heterostructures in photocatalysis and offers a promising direction for metal-free heterostructures in artificial photosynthesis and water treatment."

Light-driven catalyst can break down PFAS forever chemicals | News | ConnectSci

Engineered material uses light to destroy PFAS, other contaminants (original news release)

Covalent organic framework/hexagonal boron nitride heterostructure photocatalysts for efficient degradation of emerging contaminants (no public access)

Graphical abstract

Revealing the risk of macroplastic ingestion to marine wildlife. Really!

When the hysteria and alarmism about microplastic is not enough anymore!

We at least 5 decades of experience with and research of floating macroplastic in our oceans. What is really new? If I am not mistaken, then over the past several decades numerous countries have improved on preventing macroplastics to enter the oceans. Maybe more clean up and prevention efforts are necessary, but no hubris please.

How good is the model that was being used? What was the inductive bias (presumption) for this research? I am afraid high! Plastophobia is a serious disorder. This seems to be very hypothetical research.

All we know for sure is that marine wildlife is not even close to extinction due to plastic!

How much plastic do these researchers consume on a daily basis?

From the significance and abstract:

"Significance

Plastic ingestion is a known cause of mortality across taxa, yet the quantitative risk plastic ingestion poses is still poorly understood. Based on data from more than 10,000 necropsies, we estimate the likelihood of mortality due to the gastrointestinal load of various plastic materials—hard, soft, rubber, and fishing debris—for seabirds, marine mammals, and sea turtles. We find that 6 to 405 pieces of ingested macroplastic (or a volume between 0.044 and 39.89 cm3/cm body length) lead to a 90% chance of mortality in these marine species. Importantly, the amount varies depending on plastic types ingested and taxon. Our findings can be used to better understand the mortality risk of macroplastic pollution and inform future risk assessment frameworks.

Abstract

Plastic ingestion has been documented in nearly 1,300 marine species, including every seabird family, marine mammal family, and sea turtle species. Acute mortality, due to obstruction, perforation, or torsion of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, has been confirmed via necropsy in all three taxa; however, quantitative risk assessment for macroplastic ingestion poses unique challenges, with risk more dependent on probability of discrete events involving diverse plastic types rather than cumulative exposure models (e.g., LC50).
We model mortality risk associated with macroplastic ingestion in seabirds, marine mammals, and sea turtles, using data from more than 10,000 necropsies reported in the academic literature and stranding network databases.

Employing an adapted Weibull Accelerated Failure Time model, we assess the relationship between the GI load (pieces and volume/animal length) of different plastic types—hard, soft, rubber, or fishing debris—and likelihood of plastic-induced mortality. Overall, 35% of seabirds, 12% of marine mammals, and 47% of sea turtles ingested plastic, and 1.6%, 0.7%, and 4.4% died from plastic, respectively.

When modeling plastic together, a 90% chance of mortality was associated with 23 pieces (0.098 cm3/cm) in seabirds, 29 pieces (39.89 cm3/cm) in marine mammals, and 405 pieces (5.52 cm3/cm) in sea turtles (377 for juveniles).

The plastic types that posed the greatest risks were rubber for seabirds, soft plastics and fishing debris for marine mammals, and hard and soft plastics for sea turtles.
This research furthers scientific understanding of the likelihood of mortality from plastic ingestion and can inform monitoring, risk assessments, and management frameworks."

Revealing the risk of macroplastic ingestion to marine wildlife | PNAS (no public access, commentary)

I presume this commentary refers to the study below.

NEWS: Groundbreaking Research Identifies Lethal Dose of Plastics for Seabirds, Sea Turtles and Marine Mammals: “It’s Much Smaller Than You Might Think”  "Less Than Three Sugar Cubes of Plastic Can Kill a Seabird, According to Comprehensive New Analysis"

A quantitative risk assessment framework for mortality due to macroplastic ingestion in seabirds, marine mammals, and sea turtles

Fig. 2 Curves showing probability of mortality based on the amount of macroplastic in the GI tracts of seabirds.

EU Food Authority Condemns Bad Microplastic Studies in a survey of over 1,700 publications between 2015-2025

More on the microplastic alarmism and hysteria! A neat example of junk science!

Notice many studies are based on:

1.  "simulants"! Whatever that means or how relevant is this proxy actually!
2. The only real food tested was "mineral water"

"... The results of the review by the European Union’s food safety experts were candidly frank and critical. Almost all studies detecting microplastic and nanoplastic exposure were deficient, unreliable and corrupted; they overstated their findings and had weak methodologies. ..."

From the abstract:

"To search for evidence of micro- and nanoplastics (MNP) release during the uses of food contact materials (FCM), a structured literature review was carried out on studies published between 2015 and 20th January 2025.

It identified 1711 publications of which 122 were selected for data extraction. Eight additional publications were added to provide more context.

Most studies concern microplastics, while data on nanoplastics are almost entirely absent. Most publications use water or aqueous food simulants as FCM contact medium for suspension and subsequent isolation of released MNP.

Foods other than mineral water were tested in only few cases. Despite the large number of publications investigating the release of MNP from FCM, the available evidence concerning the characteristics and quantities of released MNP from FCM remains limited.

Many publications are affected by methodological shortcomings in test conditions, in sample preparation, and by deficiencies in the reliability of analytical data, with the consequence of frequent misidentification and miscounting.

Based on the findings on release mechanisms, contaminations, mimicking substances, particle numbers and masses generated during the use of FCMs, it is concluded that

(i) there is evidence of microplastics released during the uses of FCM,

(ii) this release is due to mechanical stress, such as abrasion or friction, or due to materials with open or fibrous structures,

(iii) despite the uncertainties, the actual release is much lower than the results presented in many publications.

In view of all this, there is no sufficient basis at this stage to estimate MNP exposure from FCM during their uses. This review identifies methodological shortcomings and data gaps, and makes recommendations on related future research needs."

EU Food Authority Condemns Bad Microplastic Studies - Human Progress

Literature review on micro- and nanoplastic release from food contact materials during their use (open access)

Progress in the recycling of polyurethane

Good news! Human ingenuity will take care of plastic trash! 

Alert: Plastophobia is a serious disorder. Please seek immediate medical help! (Caution: satire)

"Polyurethane, which is used in a wide variety of foams and spongy materials, is currently difficult to recycle. Part of the trouble is that it is constructed from two types of building blocks, respectively bearing oxygen- and nitrogen-linking groups, and most breakdown methods tend to cleanly recover just one of them. Hosgor et al. report that heating the foams in diethyl carbonate, which functions as both a reagent and solvent, together with zinc acetate as a catalyst, can deliver both the polyol (oxygen) and dicarbamate (nitrogen) components in 90 and 70% of respective yields."

From the abstract:

"Polyurethane foams (PUFs), a major component of common consumer products such as mattresses, generally end up in landfills because they cannot be properly recycled. As thermoset, PUFs cannot be remolten to new products either.

As condensation polymer, they can be depolymerized to recover one monomer, the polyol, but generally not the diisocyanate co-monomer without using phosgene, a toxic and wasteful reagent.

We show here the possibility to depolymerize PUF in a way that enables a harmless, waste-free and phosgene-free recovery of both diisocyanate and polyol. Accordingly, the PUF is depolymerized with a dialkyl carbonate – providing carbonyl exchange at low concentrations of nucleophile – to deliver a carbonated polyol with 90% yield and aromatic dicarbamates with 70% yield under non-optimized conditions. These precursors are known to be converted to the original polyols and diisocyanates at high yield by alcoholysis and pyrolysis, respectively. We present advanced analytical methods to characterize and quantify the depolymerization products. We also report model reactions to show that the depolymerization proceeds through a thermodynamic equilibration of carbonates, carbamates and ureas."

In Other Journals | Science

Polyurethane depolymerization by dialkyl carbonates: toward sustainable chemical recycling (open access)

Fig. 1 Overview of the full chemical recycling process

Chinese Men who use plastic tableware have a higher accumulation of microplastics in their semen and lower sperm counts. Really!

Do they mean by plastic tableware chopsticks? Well, I suppose many millions of  Chinese adults and children have used plastic chopsticks eating out of plastic bowls for decades. If it was so bad, then the Chinese population should be significantly reduced due to this.

Alert: Plastophobia is a serious disorder. Please seek immediate medical help! (Caution: satire)

This study is limited to only 200 men visiting the same sperm bank in China.

"Men who use plastic tableware have a higher accumulation of microplastics in their semen and lower sperm counts, finds a study published in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology that studied samples from ~200 men of reproductive age in Chongqing, China."

"... This study included 200 men of reproductive age who visited the Chongqing Human Sperm Bank between May 2020 and December 2021. ..."

From the abstract:

"Microplastics (MPs), as emerging contaminants [???], may adversely affect male reproductive health. This study investigated the potential association between MP accumulation in human semen and sperm quality. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms underlying MPs-induced sperm quality impairment were characterized using representative polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs), murine models, and spermatogonial cell cultures.

Among 200 semen samples, the overall detection rate of MPs was 55.5% (111/200). A total of 128 MPs were identified in semen, with PS (32.03%) and PVC (36.72%) being the predominant microplastic polymers. Epidemiological analyses revealed a significant positive association between plastic tableware (PT) use frequency and MP accumulation in semen. Stratified analyses further revealed a strong association between total MPs exposure and reduced sperm concentration among individuals with BMI < 24 kg/m² and frequent PT use. In murine models, exposure to PS-MPs induced reduced sperm quality, elevated sperm abnormalities, and increased levels of autophagy and apoptosis. Mechanistically, PS-MPs activated the MAP3K1/p38/c-fos pathway via the transcription factor FOXA1, thereby inducing the autophagy and apoptosis of spermatogonia. Collectively, this study provides direct human evidence that MP accumulation in semen is associated with impaired sperm quality, particularly in individuals with certain lifestyle factors such as frequent PT use. Moreover, our findings further demonstrate the potential reproductive toxicity of MPs and, for the first time, elucidate the critical role of the FOXA1/MAP3K1/p38 cascade in PS-MPs-mediated decline in sperm quality."

Global Health NOW: Anti-Science Bills Sweep U.S; Azithromycin Trial Has No Impact on Infant Deaths; and ‘Gut-Healing’ Food Treats Malnutrition

Plastic tableware use linked to microplastics in semen

Plastic tableware use, microplastic accumulation, and sperm quality: from epidemiological evidence to FOXA1/p38 mechanistic insights (open access)

Graphical abstract

90,000 microplastic particles per year. Really!

More alarmism and hysteria with regards to microplastic! What harm do they do if any?

Alert: Plastophobia is a serious disorder. Please seek immediate medical help! (Caution: satire)

Global Health NOW: Revised Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccines; Conscripting Chatbots in the HIV Fight; and Pets as Heralds of Chemical Exposures

Are you trembling now? 😊

Leveraging microplastics to treat obesity, aging, and mitochondrial disorders

Pardon me, I misspelled one word in the title of this article. 

Given all the ongoing hysteria and alarmism about microplastics in the daily news coverage, maybe the Salk Institute should investigate.

However, there is a serious, sometimes even pathological, bias by many contemporaries (incl. scientists) against plastics, microplastics and so on going on for at least 6 decades or longer!

Maybe one day in the not too distant future my wild speculation here will be confirmed! If microplastics don't do it, try nanoplastics! 😊

Caution: satire!

Caveat: I did not read the article below!

Leveraging microproteins to treat obesity, aging, and mitochondrial disorders - Salk Institute for Biological Studies

Scientists discover microplastics deep inside human bones. Really!

Maybe these microplastics make our bones stronger and more flexible?

What about nanoplastics? Science is not free of obsessions!

Alert: Plastophobia is a serious disorder. Please seek immediate medical help! (Caution: satire)

What about all the benefits of plastics in our lives? What are the possible substitutes (how healthy are the substitutes)?

Caution: satire!

Global Health NOW: Trump Links Autism With Tylenol; Russia’s Infected Troops; and ‘Nicotine-Free’ Vapes Not Free of Health Concerns

Plastik wird zur Bedrohung: Start-up Traceless entwickelt eine neue Lösung. Wirklich!

Wieder ein Beispiel für Schrott Journalismus aus der Bananenrepublik D!

Alert: Plastophobia is a serious disorder. Please seek immediate medical help! (Caution: satire)

What about all the benefits of plastics in our lives? What are the possible substitutes (how healthy are the substitutes)?

Hier ist mein blog post zu PFAS (in englisch).

Plastik wird zur Bedrohung: Start-up Traceless entwickelt eine neue Lösung | FAZ "Traceless-Gründerin: „Es braucht keine Bonbonverpackung, die 500 Jahre haltbar ist [???]“. Plastik ist zur globalen Bedrohung geworden – ein Start-up aus Hamburg stemmt sich dagegen. Ein radikales Umdenken und neue Verfahren könnten aus der Misere führen, sagt die Gründerin im Interview."

What is wrong with PFAS?

It is propaganda and demagoguery! It is alarmism and hysteria! It is superstition!

We usually learn only these plastics are forever and we are constantly exposed everywhere, because they break down very slowly (that is already a contradiction in terms either they are forever or they break down)! However, how dangerous are they really e.g. to our health, our environment? This is usually left to speculation and hints at potential negative health effects (e.g. EPA "may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals")!

Alert: Plastophobia is a serious disorder. Please seek immediate medical help! (Caution: satire)

What about all the benefits of plastics in our lives? What are the possible substitutes and how good are they (how healthy are the substitutes)?

Global plastic pollution treaty negotiations fail again as countries clash over production limits and chemical regulations

Good news! These top down solutions by Big Government are suspect anyway!

Alert: Plastophobia is a serious disorder. Please seek immediate medical help! (Caution: satire)

What about all the benefits of plastics in our lives? What are the substitutes?

"UN-led negotiations for a global treaty to tackle plastic pollution have again failed to reach an agreement. The latest meeting, held over the last 10 days in Geneva, was itself an extension of talks that have been going on for three years, and which had previously failed to agree the treaty text when the original deadline passed last December. ..."

Global plastic pollution treaty negotiations fail as countries clash over production limits and chemical regulations | Chemistry World

Plastic pollution responsible for at least $1.5 trillion a year in health costs, study finds. Really!

Let's call it junk science! Mass produced plastic has been around at least since the 1950s. 

If plastic was so dangerous as claimed, we should be all dead by now!

Most of the mentioned negative plastic issues have been well known and studied for several decades! So nothing new!

The scientist and one of the authors of this study (Philip Landrigan) interviewed here is clearly a central planning socialist and pseudo scientist!

Plastophobia is a serious medical disorder! Please seek immediate medical advice!

Designer Microbes (E. coli) Make Painkillers (paracetamol) from Plastic Waste like PET

Good news! Amazing stuff! Bacteria can do it all! Next time you pop a painkiller ... 😊

Alert: Plastophobia is a serious disorder. Please seek immediate medical help! (Caution: satire)

"... For the past decade, ... a synthetic biologist at the University of Edinburgh, has been working on engineering microbes to produce diverse chemicals from sustainable sources. He has created bacterial factories that pump out nylon precursors using paper waste and vanilla flavor compounds from discarded plastic. Now, ... his team have designed bacteria that convert plastic waste into the widely used analgesic paracetamol.3 Published in Nature Chemistry, the technique has a negligible carbon footprint and introduces a new potential use for recycled plastic. ..."

"... A team of scientists ... used genetically reprogrammed E. coli, a harmless bacterium, to transform a molecule derived from PET known as terephthalic acid into the active ingredient of paracetamol. Researchers used a fermentation process, similar to the one used in brewing beer, to accelerate the conversion from industrial PET waste into paracetamol in less than 24 hours. The new technique was carried out at room temperature and created virtually no carbon emissions, proving that paracetamol can be produced sustainably. Further development is needed before it can be produced at commercial levels, the team says. Some 90 per cent of the product made from reacting terephthalic acid with genetically reprogrammed E. coli was paracetamol. ..."

From the abstract:

"Nature has evolved an exquisite yet limited set of chemical reactions that underpin the function of all living organisms. By contrast, the field of synthetic organic chemistry can access reactivity not observed in nature, and integration of these abiotic reactions within living systems offers an elegant solution to the sustainable synthesis of many industrial chemicals from renewable feedstocks.

Here we report a biocompatible Lossen rearrangement that is catalysed by phosphate in the bacterium Escherichia coli for the transformation of activated acyl hydroxamates to primary amine-containing metabolites in living cells.

Through auxotroph rescue, we demonstrate how this new-to-nature reaction can be used to control microbial growth and chemistry by generating the essential metabolite para-aminobenzoic acid.

The Lossen rearrangement substrate can also be synthesized from polyethylene terephthalate and applied to whole-cell biocatalytic reactions and fermentations generating industrial small molecules (including the drug paracetamol), paving the way for a general strategy to bioremediate and upcycle plastic waste in native and engineered biological systems."

Designer Microbes Make Painkillers from Plastic Waste | The Scientist "Engineered bacteria turned recycled plastic into paracetamol, a common analgesic, offering a fossil-free route to pharmaceuticals."

Microbes transform plastic waste into paracetamol (original news release) "Paracetamol production could be revolutionised by the discovery that a common bacterium can turn everyday plastic waste into the painkiller, a study reveals."

Everyday painkiller made from plastic — by E. coli "Study highlights potential for sustainable synthesis of paracetamol."

A biocompatible Lossen rearrangement in Escherichia coli (open access)

Graphical abstract

Fig. 1: Aniline synthesis from carboxylic acids in vitro and in vivo.

Fig. 3: Substrate synthesis from PET plastic waste for bioremediation.

How Amsterdam's floating curtain system prevents plastic from entering t...

Food for thought!

Science for the Planet: Tackling the Invisible Threat of Nanoplastics – State of the Planet. Really!

This so called "invisible threat" has been going on for at least the last 50 years and longer in Western countries alone! We should be all dead now!

Alarmism and hysteria paired with junk science and junk journalism by this elite university! Shameful!

Alert: Plastophobia is a serious disorder. Please seek immediate medical help! (Caution: satire)

"Plastic pollution is one of the fastest-growing environmental threats. Microplastics and nanoplastics are everywhere: in our drinking water, the air we breathe and even our brains."

Science for the Planet: Tackling the Invisible Threat of Nanoplastics – State of the Planet