CuanTec: How Shrimp Shells Could Save Lives, Protect Plant Growth, and Clean Water

A pioneering Scottish marine-science enterprise is transforming shrimp shells, which are usually thrown over the side of fishing boats, into valuable products that clean water, serve a role in the medical field, and help plants grow.   

CuanTec Ltd shows that Chitosan, one of the most underused byproducts of the Scottish fishing industry, can be transformed into a natural biopolymer by removing the minerals, residual protein, and some of the chemical polymers from the raw shells. 

This transformation into such a multi-functional product could be a boon for the environment, according to CuanTec, by diverting shells from being discarded at sea, or sent to landfill and incineration, into being upcycled into useful products we need in daily life. 

Firstly, as an effective flocculant, it enables chemical impurities in the water to be removed, avoiding the need for fossil-fuel-based chemicals and additional processing steps down the line. 

Secondly, CuanTec now aims to expand the use of the polymer by selling it as a biostimulant, protecting and nourishing plant root systems as they grow, and so reducing spoilage and agricultural waste and reducing demand for fossil-fuel based chemicals in agriculture. 

Thirdly, working in collaboration with biomedical partners, the initiative also claims that the polymer could provide a vital service in medicine as a haemostatic product, which stops bleeding, while also being anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and fully biodegradable. The company says that Chitosan-impregnated bandages, for example, could help ageing populations suffering from complex needs to live independent lives, and alleviate pressure on national health systems struggling to cope with demand.  

In an era where transparency about food and water sources is paramount, CuanTec wants to champion full traceability. Collaborating closely with the Scottish fishing companies, the company promises a comprehensive understanding of the shrimp’s journey from the boat to their production facility, right down to identifying the specific vessels responsible for the catch. 

According to the initiative, CuanTec is already firmly embedded in Scotland’s societal fabric. It states that it creates good jobs across the production line and puts money back into Scotland’s traditional shellfish industry, which in turn, helps its fishing community to thrive. 

Learn more about CuanTec.

Written by Gilly Smith
Photos provided by CuanTec

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