Australian Student Angelina Arora Develops Biodegradable Plastic from Prawn Shells and Silk Proteins

Key facts

• Australian researcher Angelina Arora developed a sustainable alternative to single-use plastics using a combination of prawn shells and silk proteins.
• The production process involves isolating chitin from waste shells, converting it into chitosan, and blending it with silk fibroin to achieve flexibility and strength.
• The bioplastic decomposes completely in approximately 33 days under landfill conditions, performing nearly 1.5 million times faster than standard commercial plastics.
• The innovation received the Innovator to Market Award at the 2018 BHP Billiton Foundation Science and Engineering Awards and placed fourth globally at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
• The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) recognised the project, which utilises nitrogen-rich crustacean shells to return nutrients to the environment during decomposition.