Scientists Are Recycling Paper Waste To Make Over-The-Counter Painkillers

Paracetamol and ibuprofen don’t have much to do with paper or pine trees. However, a new study is showing that to sustain a more eco-friendly future for the pharmaceutical industry, they might have a lot more to do with each other than initially thought.
 
Painkillers such as these are some of the most common over-the-counter drugs sold. Those looking to alleviate mild pains and fevers can simply pick up a box of the medication from their local pharmacy. Though, in your pursuit of relief, you might not have realized that for the drug to be so readily available, it’s often produced in enormous quantities, which can cause a lot of environmental damage.
 
In a 2019 study by The Conversation, researchers found that the pharma market produced more tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per million dollars than the automotive industry. Despite being 28% smaller than the vehicle market, it still emits 13% more pollutants.
 
The effect their production then has on the environment has left scientists trying to find a way to mitigate the damage caused. That’s where the pine trees come in. A team from the University of Bath’s Department of Chemistry has discovered a way to produce synthetic analgesics based on a compound found in trees that originates as a waste product from the paper industry.
 
A study published in the journal ChemSusChem found a way to convert ß-pinene, an element found in turpentine, into pharmaceutical precursors. This can eventually be synthesized into paracetamol, ibuprofen, and 4-HAP, the beta-blocker found in asthma inhaler drug salbutamol and household cleaners.

Currently, most companies use crude oil as a derivative, but it seems like turpentine might be a more eco-friendly option.
 
The paper industry makes around 350,000 metric tonnes of turpentine waste annually. And as the cost of paper doesn’t fluctuate as much as oil does, it could also result in the prices of drugs remaining slightly more constant than they are now.

The only caveat is that by switching crude oil out for turpentine, it does cost more to make the medication, and as healthcare is already seen as a luxury, putting a higher price on over-the-counter medicine might not be the best course of action even if it could help the planet.
 
 
 
[via Interesting Engineering and New Atlas, cover photo 11430289 © Atman | Dreamstime.com]