How scientists transformed plastic bottles into a Parkinson’s drug

By Stephen Beech

Plastic bottles have been transformed into a drug to treat Parkinson’s disease.

The pioneering method, developed by Scottish scientists, utilizes the power of bacteria to turn waste consumer plastic into L-DOPA, a medication for the neurological disorder.

It is the first time a natural, biological process has been engineered to turn plastic waste into a therapeutic for a neurological disease, according to the University of Edinburgh research team.

They engineered E. coli bacteria to convert a type of plastic widely used in food and drink packaging - polyethylene terephthalate, or PET - into L-DOPA.

The process involves first breaking down PET waste – around 50 million tonnes of which are produced annually – into chemical building blocks of terephthalic acid.

Molecules of terephthalic acid are then transformed into L-DOPA by the engineered bacteria through a series of biological reactions.

The researchers explained that using the new technique to produce L-DOPA is more sustainable than traditional methods of making pharmaceuticals, which rely on the use of finite fossil fuels.

The team said there is an urgent need for new methods to recycle PET, a strong, lightweight plastic derived from non-renewable materials such as oil and gas.

But the breakthrough offers a sustainable way of repurposing valuable carbon in plastic waste that would otherwise be lost to landfill, incineration or environmental pollution.

The Edinburgh team believe it could pave the way for growth of a bio-upcycling industry for producing not only pharmaceuticals but a vast range of products including flavourings, fragrances, cosmetics, and industrial chemicals.

Having already shown the ability to produce L-DOPA on a small scale, the researchers are now focussed on advancing the technology towards industrial application.

They say it will involve further optimizing the process, improving its scalability, and further assessing its environmental and economic performance.

Study leader Professor Stephen Wallace said: “This feels like just the beginning.

More from this section

Vi-app-gra? Scientists develop new app that helps men last longer

South Carolina has spent $1.6M to combat its huge measles outbreak, and it’s not over yet

From Punch the monkey to adulthood: Why comfort objects still matter

"If we can create medicines for neurological disease from a waste plastic bottle, it’s exciting to imagine what else this technology could achieve.

"Plastic waste is often seen as an environmental problem, but it also represents a vast, untapped source of carbon.

"By engineering biology to transform plastic into an essential medicine, we show how waste materials can be reimagined as valuable resources that support human health.”

The research was conducted at the new £14 million Carbon-Loop Sustainable Biomanufacturing Hub (C-Loop) that aims to help transform UK manufacturing by converting industrial waste into sustainable chemicals and materials.

The project is supported by Edinburgh Innovations, the University of Edinburgh’s commercialization service.

Dr. Susan Bodie, director of innovation development and licensing at Edinburgh Innovations, said: “Professor Wallace is one of several pioneering researchers at the University using innovative and sustainable engineering biology techniques to valorize waste, including with industry partners as part of the new Carbon Loop Hub.

"These techniques could help bring about a green revolution in industrial manufacture in the UK and beyond, and we would urge companies interested in working with us to get in touch.”

The study, published in the journal Nature Sustainability, was funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC).

Dr. Liz Fletcher, of IBioIC, said: “This project highlights the potential of biology to reshape the way we think about waste.

"Turning plastic bottles into a Parkinson’s drug isn’t just a creative recycling idea, it’s a way of redesigning processes that work with nature to deliver real-world benefits.

"By demonstrating that a harmful material can be converted into something that improves human health, the team is proving that sustainable, high-value applications of biology are both practical and effective.”

Professor Charlotte Deane, executive chair of UKRI EPSRC, added: “This research shows the huge potential of engineering biology to tackle some of society’s most pressing challenges.

"By converting discarded plastic into a treatment for Parkinson’s disease, the University of Edinburgh team has demonstrated how carbon that would otherwise be lost to landfill or pollution can be turned into high value products that improve lives."

"It’s a great example of how EPSRC’s investment in C-Loop is enabling innovative, sustainable manufacturing approaches that benefit both people and the planet.”