Physicochemical Characterization of White Shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei ) Waste as a Low-Cost Chitinous Biomaterial

This research evaluated the treatment and processing of white shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei) exoskeleton by studying the physicochemical characteristics of the biomaterial viewing evaluate its adequacy as a sorbent. White shrimp shell contains chitin, a biopolymer with sorbent properties, and calcium carbonate, an acidity neutralizing agent, among its principal constituents. The exoskeletons, excluding the head, were treated by proposed low-cost methodology. Elemental chemical characterization was performed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, identifying two different constituent groups: trace and macro elements. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated a high thermal stability when compared to commercial chitin. The Surface Area and Pore Size and Volume analyses showed a heterogeneous specific surface area, with a mean pore diameter in the range of microporous (ϕ < 20 Å) and mesoporous (20 Å < ϕ < 500 Å) predominantly. The particle size, determined by Mastersizer 2000, and the morphology, determined by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy, confirmed the heterogeneity of the processed bioresidue. This characterization indicated the adequacy of the treatment for obtaining from shrimp shells a chitinous biomaterial for potential use as a sorption and neutralization agent once its main constituents (chitin and calcium carbonate) were not modified with the treatment. Graphic Abstract