The Future of Education

Improving technology and increasing demands in its application has became the biggest challenge for the waste utilizing sector. Most technological benefits result with waste and in order to overcome the increasing waste production seafood processing technologies has become a huge aid. The experiment aimed to minimize the 326000 metric tons of gelatin waste resulting from nutrition packing, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and fertilizers by using horse mackerel flakes to obtain recyclable gelatins. Gelatin can be obtained from the partial hydrolysis of collagen, which is a type of protein which can be derived from the skin or bones of animals. By using hydrolysis techniques and thermal treatment, these collagen proteins converted to gelatin. As the produced gelatin was compared with the gelling temperature, viscosity and gel strength of other commercial calf or pork skin gelatins in order to find out whether the produced gelatin was as functionable as the unrecyclable ones. As AP Chemistry students and future engineers, we have been learning about acids and bases, molarity, and techniques for experimental procedures, such as hydrolysis and denaturation. Though a basic knowledge for experimental procedures had been obtained, a scientific experiment as such has given a chance for hands-on experience and has enabled to apply the knowledge in different platforms and concepts -other than exams. We are aware of the consequences of developing technology, more and more waste. With this project, we take active role in preserving our environment and in order to do that we want to minimize waste production and find ways for the re-usage of “what seems to be unrecyclable or recyclable ”.

Keywords: waste utilizing, seafood processing, collagen, gelatin, recycling, horse mackerel flakes;