Venezuelan scientists heal burns with blue crab shells
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Researchers at the Instituto Zuliano de Investigaciones Tecnológicas (Inzit) in Venezuela are turning waste from blue crabs into biopiels that heal second-degree burns in five to seven days.
The team successfully treated a chef who suffered a burn during an accident at the institute, marking the first formal record of the biomaterial’s effectiveness.
This innovation addresses a problem of waste from the crab fishing industry in the Lake Maracaibo region, where processing plants generate over thirty tons of shells and organic matter annually. The accumulation of crab waste poses an environmental problem, creating harmful gases, pathogenic fungi, and depleting oxygen in Lake Maracaibo. The researchers discovered that processing the shells yields chitosan, a biopolymer with antibacterial properties that promotes skin tissue regeneration.
This offers a locally sourced alternative to imported wound dressings and reduces costs for patients. The project’s success depends on the health of the crab population in Lake Maracaibo, which faces threats from overfishing of juvenile crabs and environmental contamination. While the team has applied for permits to expand the use of the medical devices to other hospitals, the process is costly and funding remains a challenge.
However, the use of this technology in the Hospital Coromoto in Maracaibo is already improving the recovery of patients, including those with diabetes.
