Odisha Scientist Patented for Turning Shrimp Waste into Eco-Friendly Bioproducts

Balasore, 17/10 (Krushna Kumar Mohanty): In a remarkable scientific achievement, Dr. Siddhartha Pati, a researcher from Odisha, has been granted a patent for developing an innovative method to convert discarded shrimp shells into high-value, eco-friendly bioproducts. The invention focuses on chitosan, a biodegradable compound derived from shrimp waste, known for its wide applications in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and sustainable materials.

Dr. Pati, who heads a startup inspired by the government’s Circular Economy and Waste to Wealth missions, said that marine waste—once an environmental burden, is now being turned into a valuable industrial resource. “What was earlier dumped into landfills or the sea, causing severe pollution, is now converted into key raw materials for pharmaceutical, agricultural, and industrial sectors,” he stated.

The patented process converts shrimp shells into biopolymers like chitin, chitosan, and bio-stimulants. These materials are used for capsule covers, wound dressings, tissue scaffolds, regenerative medicine, bone graft substitutes, and water purification systems.

Due to its safety, biodegradability, and biological versatility, chitosan has emerged as a key ingredient in advanced drug delivery systems, vaccine delivery platforms, biosensors, and cosmetic formulations.

Dr. Pati said the patent marks not an end but “the beginning of a series of breakthroughs.” His team is currently working on several new marine-derived bioproduct technologies. “Our goal is to make India a global hub for sustainable bioproducts and bio-based materials,” he added.