(746g) Biological Isolation of Protein from Shrimp Waste

Chitin is the second most abundant renewable natural biopolymer after cellulose. It is a linear polysaccharide composed of (1-4) - linked 2-acetamido- 2-deoxy-D-glucose units and has a chemical composition similar to that of cellulose. Chitosan, a derivative of chitin, is a linear polysaccharide of (1-4)-linked-D-glucosamine (GlcN) units. Chitin and chitosan are extensively employed in cosmetics, biotechnology, agriculture, medicine, food, and other industries. Chitin is commonly isolated from shrimp waste that is generated in large quantities by the shrimp processing industry. The first step in chitin isolation is removal of protein. The regular method for protein removal is the treatment of shrimp waste with the NaOH solution at high temperature. This method is energy demanding and environmentally unfriendly. Furthermore, harsh treatments of the waste material with a base at elevated temperatures may have a negative effect on the physical properties of the polymer as well. This research is focused on the development of alternative methods for protein removal from shrimp waste. The alternative techniques involve biological and physical methods for protein removal. The biological method of protein removal involves aerobic and anaerobic digestion of shrimp waste with B. subtilis, and mixed cultures from municipal sewage sludge. The physical methods for protein removal involve washing of the shrimp waste with water at different temperatures, sonication, and accelerated solvent extraction. Out of the methods investigated, the biological method shows promising results and will be discussed during the presentation. The aforementioned methods for protein removal from shrimp waste provide an alternative for chitin extraction in more environmentally friendly matter.