Scientists Develops Method to Extract Collagen from Egg Shells

Engineers at the Ohio State University led by L.S. Fan, a university professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and his former doctoral student, Mahesh Iyer, have discovered a way to turn chicken eggshells into an alternative source of energy and extract collagen from the membrane inside the shells.

Fan and Iyer came upon the idea to use egg shells in developing hydrogen fuel when they were trying to improve the water-gas-shift reaction, a method of hydrogen production. The water-gas-shift reaction turns fossil fuels into gas to product carbon monoxide gas which then combines with water to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Fan stated that pure hydrogen is produced by separating carbon dioxide and in order to make pure hydrogen economically, they needed to think of a new process scheme so they turned to eggshells. Eggshells are made up mostly of calcium carbonate. When calcium carbonate is heated it will become calcium oxide which can absorb any acidic gas such as carbon dioxide.

Fan and Iyer's process uses the eggshells to absorb the carbon dioxide from a reaction that produces hydrogen fuel. The process also includes a method for peeling the membrane inside the eggshells that contain collagen so that the collagen can be used commercially.

Experts believe that hydrogen will become an important power source in the future in the form of fuel cells, however, in order to pursue this alternative source of energy, researchers should find ways to produce large quantities of hydrogen as well as methods of disposing of the byproducts of the chemical reactions that produce hydrogen. Though eggshells seem promising, Fan believes that even if the 455,000 tons of shells that came from the 91 billion eggs the US produced in 2006 will be used, it will still not be enough to pursue a hydrogen economy.

Fan is quoted as saying, "Eggshell alone may not be adequate to produce hydrogen for the whole country, but at least we can use eggshell in a better way compared to dumping it as organic waste in landfills, where companies have to pay up to $40 dollars per ton disposal cost."

Aside from finding use for the egg shells in fuel cells, Fan also developed an organic acid that removes the membrane from the egg shells that contain collagen. Collagens extracted from the egg shells can then be used for medical treatments or in cosmetic surgery.

Fan is pleased that the technology they have developed can help the egg industry dispose of its waste and at the same time convert the waste into useful products.

SOURCE:

Ohio State University