Antimicrobial Applications of Shell-Derived Materials
Summary
Shell-derived materials, principally composed of calcium carbonate, have been transformed into antimicrobial agents through thermal or chemical activation. Heating yields calcium oxide, which upon hydration forms calcium hydroxide; this reaction generates high alkalinity and reactive species that disrupt microbial membranes and biofilm matrices. Beyond simple disinfection, shell-derived calcium oxides have been integrated with polymers or phosphate-based flocculants to synchronise microbial inactivation with removal of chemical contaminants. Composite systems combining shell powders with nanoscale carriers—such as silver nanoparticles immobilised on chitin matrices—enhance surface contact, compromise microbial adhesion and reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance. Applications include emergency water purification, surface decontamination in healthcare settings, antibiofilm treatments in food processing and functional wound dressings. Utilisation of biowaste shells aligns with circular economy principles, offering low-cost, sustainable alternatives to conventional disinfectants. Interdisciplinary efforts in materials science, environmental engineering and microbiology continue to refine particle stability, delivery methods and safety profiles for global health and environmental applications.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Antimicrobial Applications of Shell-Derived Materials publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in antimicrobial applications of shell-derived materials across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Calcium oxide (CaO): Inorganic compound produced by heating calcium carbonate in shells; hydrates to release strong alkalinity with antimicrobial effect.
Hydration: Chemical reaction of CaO with water to form calcium hydroxide, releasing hydroxide ions and raising pH.
Flocculation: Process by which dispersed particles aggregate into larger flocs, facilitating removal of contaminants.
Biofilm: Structured community of microorganisms encased in an extracellular matrix attached to surfaces, often resistant to treatment.
References
- Sequential Approach for Water Purification Using Seashell-Derived Calcium Oxide through Disinfection and Flocculation with Polyphosphate for Chemical Pollutant Removal. ACS Omega (2024).
- Development of antimicrobial biomaterials produced from chitin-nanofiber sheet/silver nanoparticle composites. Journal of Nanobiotechnology (2014).
- Application of Colloidal Dispersions of Bioshell Calcium Oxide (BiSCaO) for Disinfection. Polymers (2019).
- Concentrated Bioshell Calcium Oxide (BiSCaO) Water Kills Pathogenic Microbes: Characterization and Activity. Molecules (2020).
- Safety of Concentrated Bioshell Calcium Oxide Water Application for Surface and Skin Disinfections against Pathogenic Microbes. Molecules (2020).
- Antibiofilm Effects of Heated Scallop Shell Powder on Campylobacter jejuni Biofilms. Membranes (2021).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Nature Index 2026 Regenerative medicine
Regenerative medicine has the potential to transform the treatment of chronic and life-threatening diseases. But major challenges remain, such as overcoming immune rejection and ensuring that new therapies are developed using more inclusive data sets. In this supplement, we explore the discoveries that are driving the field, the barriers that could limit its progress, and the teams and institutions that are making their mark.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.