Room: King Willem Alexander
Date: Wednesday, 20 May 2026
Time: 16:15 - 17:15 CEST
Session code 1BO.10
Advanced processes for waste and residue conversion into sustainable fuels and materials
Demineralization of Insect Waste for Chitin Extraction: Sustainable Process Optimization Guided by Systematic Review
Short Introductive summary
This study investigates sustainable chitin extraction from insect by-products, focusing on acid-based demineralization of black soldier fly exuviae. A systematic literature review revealed a lack of sustainability metrics for insect-derived chitin. However, key sustainability drivers—such as energy consumption—were identified from crustacean-based extraction studies. Experimental testing of 30 milder treatment setups identified conditions that maintained or improved extraction performance while reducing resource intensity. The findings offer a data-driven foundation for more sustainable, scalable chitin production from waste streams, supporting a circular bioeconomy.
Presenter
Lisa MERSMANN
Nova FCT, Departamento de Química, PORTUGAL
Biographies and Short introductive summaries are supplied directly by presenters and are published here unedited
Co-authors:
V.G.L. Souza, MEtRiCS, Caparica, PORTUGAL
A.L. Fernando, MEtRiCS, Caparica, PORTUGAL
Session reference: 1BO.10.1