Researchers at the University of Missouri have developed a chemical tool that uses "soapy" water and electricity that can reduce the cost of medicine manufacturing and enhance clean energy technology, according to Phys.org.
Traditionally, medicine is made through electrochemistry. However, this process uses toxic solvents such as chloroform.
University of Missouri associate professor Sachin Handa and graduate student Karanjeet Kaur collaborated with Novartis Pharmaceuticals to develop sustainable substances known as micelles, which are derived from naturally occurring amino acids and coconut oil.
These micelles, with an appearance of soapy water, have a unique structure that can be used efficiently in electrochemical reactions without the need for toxic solvents or electrolytes.
"These micelles drive desired reactions forward," explained Mizzou's Sachin Handa. "But they don't react with anything and remain stable, making them unique from ionic micelles."
Because the chemical reactions are highly efficient, it could lower the cost of manufacturing certain medicines, "such as the NS5A of the Hepatitis C virus." According to Handa, it can also "be used to treat hyperproliferative, inflammatory and immunoregulatory diseases."
In addition to medicine manufacturing, the micelles could also help develop clean energy technologies like hydrogen fuel.
"This process, known as electrocatalysis, also plays a key role in clean energy production," Handa said. "With the same approach, hydrogen—in situ generated from water—can potentially be used as a clean fuel. Plus, we can use hydrogen to break down harmful PFAS chemicals, transforming them into useful hydrocarbons while simultaneously releasing oxygen into the air."
The study was published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition.
Medicine prices have risen by 15.2% year over year between 2022 and 2023, according to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. The advancement of this technology could lower the costs of manufacturing drugs, which could lower the costs of drugs for consumers.
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Definitely 👍 However, as senior faculty editor, Harvard Health Publishing's Robert H. Shmerling pointed out, there is no evidence of a connection between development costs for drugs and the drug price. Still, the micelles could lower toxic chemicals and the "environmental impact of traditional chemical processes" used in the production of medicine, according to the University of Missouri.
And the micelles can contribute to clean energy tech. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, hydrogen fuel could have many uses, from fueling vehicles and power plants to energy storage and heating.
Hydrogen fuel can be produced through different means, including thermal, solar, biological, and electrolytic processes, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. This new process, using the micelles from the University of Missouri and a type of electrolytic process, could help increase the production of hydrogen fuel, reducing the need for dirty energy, such as coal and gas, which contribute to planet-warming pollution and extreme weather events.
Many companies are producing and testing systems of hydrogen fuel, including Honda and Hypermotive, which are collaborating on a fuel cell for vehicles. Other companies are working to test hydrogen fuel in ships and planes.
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