From lobster to loofah? B.C. chemist works to turn shells into plastics
VANCOUVER — Where most people see an empty shell after a tasty dinner, a scientist in Vancouver sees an opportunity to create a sustainable new plastic.
Chemist Mark MacLachlan at the University of British Columbia is working to turn shells from lobsters, crabs and shrimp into natural materials that can be used in a variety of objects, including batteries, coffee cups or medical supplies.
“Shells are a large waste product from the food industry, shrimp shells and crab shells especially,” he said. “But the chemistry needed to transform them into something useful is not too difficult.”
The process involves removing minerals and proteins from the shell, which leaves behind a bio material called chitin, MacLachlan explained.