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Seashells are well known for their beauty, mechanical properties and wide distribution in all the oceans. They represent the final product of an evolutionary process that started more than 3.5 My ago and are the best materials for the skeletal function they have to perform. These composite materials are made mainly of calcium carbonate and a small fraction of biological macromolecules. Seashells are also the waste products of fishery industries. Their disposal nowadays represents an economical cost and an important environmental issue. The use of the waste seashells for bio-technological application is the main goal of the project “Advanced Materials using Biogenic Calcium Carbonate from Seashell Wastes” (CASEAWA).
CASEAWA will produce functionalized biogenic calcium carbonate micro- nano-particles that preserve the inorganic/organic composite nature of the shell. They will be used as innovative filler for polymers and to produce new calcium phosphate biomaterials. CASEAWA is expected to have an impressive socio-economical impact due to the wide distribution of fishery industries and variety of seashells.