Development of chitosan-based bioplastic from shrimp waste as potential industrial packaging material
Project general objectives
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To optimize isolation of chitin from local-shrimp waste source and chitin’s transformation to chitosan.
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To produce a bioplastic packaging prototype from the optimized shrimp-waste chitosan-based materials.
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To characterize the packaging prototype in terms of mechanical, chemical, and barrier properties.
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To map and define the bioplastic demands for industrial use in the Philippines.
Methods and design
1) Chitin isolation from shrimp waste and its transformation to chitosan using an autoclave method
2) Solution casting for bioplastic prototype fabrication from shrimp-waste chitosan-based materials.
3) Use of university equipment and third-party characterization of bioplastic and the packaging prototype.
4) Bioplastic Value Chain Mapping and Analysis
Description of the project area(s)
The 8-month project is mainly divided into three parts.
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Shrimp waste collection and preparation. Shrimp waste will be collected from shrimp processing and exporter facility in Mandaue City, Cebu.
2. Extraction of chitin and autoclave method for chitosan production.Laboratory experiments on the extraction of chitin and its transformation to chitosan will be conducted at the University of San Carlos Department of Chemical Engineering laboratory. The chitosan produced from the locally-sourced shrimp-waste using an autoclave method is characterized vis-à-vis the commercial ones.
3. Design and fabrication of the bioplastic packaging prototype. This series of activities is carried out to potentially replace identified existing product for dry goods. Such effort is designed to potentially move on to the adaption of the product and process with an industrial partner. Eventually, this project is geared towards the commercialization of the product for public use of bioplastics in the country.
