Protein/CaCO₃/Chitin Nanofiber Complex Prepared from Crab Shells by Simple Mechanical Treatment and Its Effect on Plant Growth.
A protein/CaCO₃/chitin nanofiber complex was prepared from crab shells by a simple mechanical treatment with a high-pressure water-jet (HPWJ) system. The preparation process did not involve chemical treatments, such as removal of protein and calcium carbonate with sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid, respectively. Thus, it was economically and environmentally friendly. The nanofibers obtained had uniform width and dispersed homogeneously in water. Nanofibers were characterized in morphology, transparency, and viscosity. Results indicated that the shell was mostly disintegrated into nanofibers at above five cycles of the HPWJ system. The chemical structure of the nanofiber was maintained even after extensive mechanical treatments. Subsequently, the nanofiber complex was found to improve the growth of tomatoes in a hydroponics system, suggesting the mechanical treatments efficiently released minerals into the system. The homogeneous dispersion of the nanofiber complex enabled easier application as a fertilizer compared to the crab shell flakes.
Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Cho Minami, Tottori 680-8552, Japan. D14T3001B@edu.tottori-u.ac.jp.
Yihun Fantahun
YF
Aklog
Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Cho Minami, Tottori 680-8553, Japan. gonta927@hotmail.com.
Mayumi
M
Egusa
Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Cho Minami, Tottori 680-8553, Japan. kaminaka@muses.tottori-u.ac.jp.
Hironori
H
Kaminaka
Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Cho Minami, Tottori 680-8552, Japan. h-izawa@chem.tottori-u.ac.jp.
Hironori
H
Izawa
Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Cho Minami, Tottori 680-8552, Japan. morimoto@chem.tottori-u.ac.jp.
Minoru
M
Morimoto
Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Cho Minami, Tottori 680-8552, Japan. saimoto@chem.tottori-u.ac.jp.
Hiroyuki
H
Saimoto
Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Cho Minami, Tottori 680-8552, Japan. sifuku@chem.tottori-u.ac.jp.
Shinsuke
S
Ifuku
D060105:Animal Shells / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura / Q000378:metabolism; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000737:chemistry*; D002686:Chitin / Q000737:chemistry*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D063245:Plant Development / Q000187:drug effects; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D011506:Proteins; D002686:Chitin; D002119:Calcium Carbonate
chitin nanofiber; complex; crab shell; fertilizer
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