University of Maryland researchers have developed a new type of porous material made of chitosan and copper to spray on fresh produce that absorbs chemical pesticides, extends shelf life and easily washes off.
Crab shells have emerged as something of a dark horse in recent years, in terms of their utility in improving sustainability: The typically wasted shells of crabs and their fellow crustaceans are composed of a biopolymer that is proving increasingly useful in everything from wastewater treatment and solar cells to biodegradable alternatives to plastic and polystyrene packaging.
Now, University of Maryland (UMD) researchers have engineered a material made from the biopolymer — chitosan — that not only extends the shelf life of produce; it also removes chemical pesticides and herbicides.
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