GOOD SHEPHERD CATHEDRAL SCHOOL

Omega Avenue corner Rado Street, Fairview Park, Quezon City

The Ability of Chitin to Remove Grease by Making

Dishwashing Paste out of Shrimp Shells
I. SIGNIFICANCE
Chitin is one of the most abundant organic compounds in nature. There is a study that chitin
can heal wounds which exhibited an antibacterial agent. Moreover, Chitin can be found in the
exoskeletons of marine life animals such as the shells of shrimps, lobsters, etc. which are
biodegradable and inelastic which is found more on shrimp shells. Thus, this property of chitin
is an advantage to help the innovators think of a product to keep our environment without
pollution through the shell wastes.
There is a problem involving the wastes of the shells of seafood which are used to being
thrown at the garbage. Shrimp is one of the important fisheries products worldwide that is why
people tend to buy a lot of shrimps which can cause a lot of wastes left when a certain dish with
its usage is cooked. It is not in our information to what the garbage management does to these
shells. Moreover, as a resident, it is a duty to help the environment as a compensation to the
harmful effects of own actions. That is why the innovation of products started in order to find
potential in using them to avoid the large amount of shell wastes like the study in making a
biodegradable plastic, purifying water, and such.
There are lots of dishwashing liquids, pastes and soaps present in this generation. However
the usage of shrimp shells, specifically chitin, is not yet created. With the knowledge of the
antibacterial property of shrimp shells, the team would like to conduct an experiment to further
test its property in order to use it in an alternative way. This project can help to avoid lots of
wastes of shrimp shells seen.
Therefore the alternative way in using other antibacterial ingredients in those soaps can be
tested using shrimp shells. In using the data of the experiment, people can compare existing
dishwashing soaps to this own product to be informed of the better product which has better
qualities among them.

II. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The disposal of shrimp shells won’t be necessary if people are more aware of the fact that
shrimp shells contain chitin, which are considered as a natural plastic which make it
biodegredable. Other than that, it can be used as a dishwashing product and research show
that it can heal wounds which exhibited an antibacterial agent with its usage.
 GOOD SHEPHERD CATHEDRAL SCHOOL
Omega Avenue corner Rado Street, Fairview Park, Quezon City

This serves as an advantage for people who unintentionally have stocks of shrimp shells or
for those who cannot afford dishwashing products and medical supplies such as bandages and
medicines.
This paper aims to experiment whether chitin is effective as a means to apply on wounds
and dirty dishes if combined with other substances or if chitin alone is effective as is.

1. How effective is the chitin dishwashing paste compared with other products?

2. What substance does shells have that is similar to water purifiers or grease removers?

3. How is chitin similar to medical supplies used for wounds?

III. REFERENCES

https://repository.seafdec.org.ph/bitstream/handle/10862/2843/BuendiaJC1999-chitin-from-shell-
waste.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256547969_Antibacterial_activity_of_chitin_chitosan_and_i
ts_oligomers_prepared_from_shrimp_shell_waste

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256547969_Antibacterial_activity_of_chitin_chitosan_and_i
ts_oligomers_prepared_from_shrimp_shell_waste

https://www.polymersolutions.com/blog/biodegradable-plastic-from-crab-shells/
GOOD SHEPHERD CATHEDRAL SCHOOL
Omega Avenue corner Rado Street, Fairview Park, Quezon City