Scientists make ibuprofen and other common painkillers from paper industry waste

It's probably fair to say that when most people conjure up images of the pharmaceutical industry, there isn't often a connection between the production of lifesaving drugs and environmental decline. But according to a 2019 study by The Conversation, pharmaceutical companies produce more tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per million dollars than the auto industry. "According to our calculations, the pharmaceutical market is 28% smaller but 13% more polluting than the automotive sector," the news outlet said of the state of the pharmaceutical industry in 2015. In other words: companies pharmaceutical companies must reduce their carbon emissions for the health of the planet and all who live on it.

Fortunately, a group of scientists from the University of Bath in the UK may have found a way for industry to do just that. In a study published in the journal ChemSusChem, the team describes a process they created to convert β-pinene, a component found in turpentine, into pharmaceutical precursors which they then used to synthesize paracetamol and ibuprofen. Currently, most companies producing these painkillers use precursor chemicals derived from crude oil. Turpentine, on the other hand, is a waste by-product that the paper industry produces at a scale of over 350,000 metric tons per year. Researchers claim to have also successfully used turpentine to synthesize 4-HAP, a precursor to beta-blockers, the asthma inhaler drug salbutamol, and a range of household cleaners.

In addition to being more sustainable, the team's "biorefinery" process could result in more consistent drug costs for consumers, as turpentine isn't subject to the same geopolitical pressures that can drive up energy and oil prices shoot up. However, a significant pitfall of the process in its current form is that it costs more to produce medicine with turpentine than crude oil. The team suggests that consumers might be willing to pay slightly higher prices for longer-lasting drugs, but let's be honest, when someone is sick or in pain, paying more for relief is the last thing most people do. want to do.