German research aims to convert shell waste to polymer precursors

An on-going study at Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology, in Straubing, Germany, is seeking a way to turn shell waste product into polymer precursors that may be used as substitute to petroleum-derived solutions. The EU-funded research project called ChiBio will convert the waste into monomers that would serve as precursors for plastics. The process could be an alternative to existing technologies which employ petroleum in the manufacture of plastics. Moreover, it will be a solution to the 750,000 tonnes of crustacean shell waste Europe produces annually.

In Asia, many countries have been able to turn shrimp waste into chitosan, a compound that can be used in many industries including biopesticides, enzyme immobilization, and non-viral gene delivery, to name a few. The technique hasn’t caught up in Europe because of the nature of shells originating from the area – these contain high levels of calcium carbonate and so are not fit for chitosan conversion. (photo credit: Phú Th?nh Co)