This Science News Wire page contains a press release issued by an organization and is provided to you "as is" with little or no review from Science X staff.

Teflon subproducts recycled into valuable pharmaceuticals

February 22nd, 2017

Fluoroform is a highly pollutant greenhouse-effect chemical compound made of carbon and fluorine atoms. It is generated as one of the main waste products in the preparation of popular anti-adherent polymer Teflon. Eliminating fluoroform is expensive, mostly because it is a very good flame retardant, so burning it is almost impossible.

Nevertheless, ICIQ researchers led by Prof. Vladimir Grushin have developed a seam of cheap fluorinated compounds. Taking advantage of a product that is usually wasted, chemists developed a method to obtain organic compounds modified with fluorine atoms. These compounds can be used to prepare all sort of added-value products from drugs like popular antidepressant Prozac, several prostate cancer treatments, and agrochemicals and new materials.

Patent Offices from the U.S. and the E.U. granted ICIQ the exclusive rights over this new synthesis method. Currently, ICIQ is looking for partners in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries to license and exploit this new and original waste-valorisation technology.

Provided by Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia

Citation: Teflon subproducts recycled into valuable pharmaceuticals (2017, February 22) retrieved 16 March 2025 from https://sciencex.com/wire-news/249203175/teflon-subproducts-recycled-into-valuable-pharmaceuticals.html

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.