VALORISING CRAB SHELL WASTE INTO FUNCTIONAL BIOCHAR VIA MICROWAVE PYROLYSIS: A GREEN CONVERSION STRATEGY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46754/ps.2025.07.001Keywords:
Crab shell waste, microwave pyrolysis, biochar, waste valorisationAbstract
Crab shell waste, a major byproduct of the seafood industry, poses environmental challenges due to its large volume and slow degradability. However, its richness in chitin and calcium carbonate makes it a promising feedstock for biochar production. Microwave pyrolysis is a green and advanced conversion technology that can efficiently transform crab shell waste into functional biochar. Its rapid and selective heating, combined with the catalytic properties of crab shell components, enhances both the yield and stability of the resulting biochar. This perspective critically reviews the physicochemical properties of crab shells, the mechanisms underlying microwave pyrolysis, and the synergistic role of shell-derived catalysts in biochar formation. It highlights microwave pyrolysis as a potentially sustainable approach for marine waste valorization and the advancement of the circular bioeconomy.
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