An intensified atmospheric plasma-based process for the isolation of the chitin biopolymer from waste crustacean biomass

Abstract

Atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharge plasma was used as a methodology for a crustacean shell waste pre-treatment process, resulting in intensified protein removal. This renewable electricity-based separation operation can serve as a scalable green alternative to the conventional chemical purification in the production of the chitin biopolymer, which applies unrecyclable mineral bases.