Waste-to-resource: extraction and transformation of aquatic biomaterials for regenerative medicine

• Main Authors: Cao, Huaqi, Zeng, Yuanjin, Yuan, Xueyu, Wang, Jun Kit, Tay, Chor Yong
• Other Authors: School of Materials Science and Engineering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2024
• Subjects: Engineering; Biowaste valorization; Tissue engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/180659
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The fisheries and aquaculture industry are known for generating substantial waste or by-products, often underutilized, or relegated to low-value purposes. However, this overlooked segment harbors a rich repository of valuable bioactive materials of which have a broad-spectrum of high-value applications. As the blue economy gains momentum and fisheries expand, sustainable exploitation of these aquatic resources is increasingly prioritized. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of technology-enabled methods for extracting and transforming aquatic waste into valuable biomaterials and their recent advances in regenerative medicine applications, focusing on marine collagen, chitin/chitosan, calcium phosphate and bioactive-peptides. We discuss the inherent bioactive qualities of these “waste-to-resource” aquatic biomaterials and identify opportunities for their use in regenerative medicine to advance healthcare while achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.