Abstract
There is a high content of calcium carbonate in mussel and oyster shells, which can be used in the formulation of medicine, in construction or as filler in polymer materials. This work has as its main objective to obtain calcium carbonate from mussel and oyster shells and used as filler in polypropylene compared their properties with polypropylene and commercial calcium carbonate composites. The shellfish was milling and heated at 500 ºC for 2 hours. The powder obtained from shellfish were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence, particle size distribution and abrasiveness and compared with commercial CaCO3 and mixed with polypropylene. The thermal and mechanical properties of polypropylene with CaCO3 obtained from oyster and mussel shells and with commercial CaCO3 were analysed. The results showed that CaCO3 can be obtained from oyster and mussel shell and is technically possible to replace the commercial CaCO3 for that obtained from the shells of shellfish in polypropylene composites.
Highlights
Aquaculture is an important source of animal protein for human consumption
Of the entire amount of shellfish produced, 75 to 90% consists of shells. These shells are composed of 95% calcium carbonate, and the remainder is organic matter and other compounds[3]
The aim of this work is to obtain calcium carbonate from seafood shells and demonstrate that this material can be reused as filler in polymer, based on thermal, chemical and physical properties of calcium carbonate and mechanical and thermal properties of polypropylene/ calcium carbonate composite
Summary
Aquaculture is an important source of animal protein for human consumption. In South America, Brazil is second in production of shellfish, following Chile[1]. Bivalve shellfish production consists in the cultivation of the Mitilidae family represented by the perna perna mussel and the Ostreidae family, represented by the pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas[2]. The product for the market (the shellfish meat) can go through a beneficiation process to improve its appearance and add value. In these units, the mussels are cooked by steaming or immersion and the shell is removed. Of the entire amount of shellfish produced, 75 to 90% consists of shells. These shells are composed of 95% calcium carbonate, and the remainder is organic matter and other compounds[3]. The improper disposal of solid waste from shellfish cultivation decreases water oxygen and microalgae that are responsible for the nutrition of mussels and oysters, hindering the growth of these shellfish[4]
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