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Sustainable Valorization of Mussel Shell Waste: Processing for Calcium Carbonate Recovery and Hydroxyapatite
Adriana Poli Castilho Dugaich1, Andressa da Silva Barboza1, Marianna Gimenes E Silva1
1Department of Odontology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil.
Journal of Functional Biomaterials
|January 27, 2026
Summary
Researchers created a sustainable hydroxyapatite (HA) biomaterial from mussel shell waste. This HA shows promise for bone and dental tissue engineering due to its excellent cytocompatibility and osteogenic potential.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Materials Engineering
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Biogenic calcium carbonate waste, such as mussel shells, represents an underutilized resource.
- Developing sustainable biomaterials is crucial for tissue engineering and reducing environmental impact.
- Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a key material for bone and dental applications due to its similarity to natural bone mineral.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a sustainable method for converting mussel shell waste into hydroxyapatite (HA).
- To characterize the physicochemical and structural properties of the synthesized HA.
- To evaluate the potential of mussel shell-derived HA for bone and dental tissue engineering applications.
Main Methods:
- Decarbonization of mussel shells followed by wet chemical precipitation and thermal treatment to synthesize HA.
- Comprehensive material characterization using SEM, FTIR, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, XRF, TGA, and BET analysis.
- In vitro biological evaluation including cytotoxicity (MTT), antimicrobial testing, and osteogenic differentiation (Alizarin Red) using stem cells.
Main Results:
- Successful conversion of mussel shell waste into HA with high crystallinity and nanoscale crystallite size.
- HA exhibited favorable physicochemical properties, including neutral pH and a stable zeta potential.
- In vitro studies demonstrated excellent cytocompatibility and significant osteogenic potential, with high mineralization observed.
- No antimicrobial activity was detected.
Conclusions:
- Mussel shell-derived HA is a sustainable and viable biomaterial for bone and dental tissue engineering.
- The developed waste-to-biomaterial pipeline addresses key requirements for orthopedic and dental applications.
- This approach offers a promising solution for valorizing marine waste while creating valuable biomedical materials.
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