Mechanochemical transformation of crustacean shell waste to valueadded products

The Crustaceans industry is a major part of Canadian seafood production, however, it results in the generation of significant amount of crustacean wastes. The disposal of the wastes is often costly and challenging. The exoskeleton of the crustacean waste contains chitin, which can be converted into value-added products. Our lab had developed an innovative, green and safe method for the production of chitin and chitosan from the crustacean waste which requires at least 14 times less energy, 10 times less water, and 8 times less chemicals compared to the traditional methods. We have achieved the production of chitosan with high purity (DDA>90%) and a high yield. Thus, our technology not only resolves the industrial effluent issue for chitosan production but also it significantly lowers the cost of production. By participating in L2M, we are seeking to identify the customers, develop entrepreneurship skills and validate our novel technology.

Faculty Supervisor:

Audrey Moores

Student:

Partner:

Springboard Atlantic Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Clean Technology; Advanced Manufacturing; Sustainability & the Environment

University:

McGill University

Program: