M. A. Ramírez

Kinetics of the Demineralization Reaction of Deproteinized Lobster Shells Using CO2

The demineralization kinetics of deproteinized lobster shells using CO2 were studied. Demineralization reaction proceeds until the concentration of Ca+2 in solution reaches an equilibrium value. The introduction of a cation exchange resin (cationite), in an open system for CO2, allows replacement of the solution Ca 2+ ions by Na+ ions, whereby the equilibrium shifts and an effective dissolution of the exoskeletons’ calcite is achieved. The mathematical relationships between the conductivity of the solution and the concentrations of major ions, the rate constants and kinetic parameters of the reaction in the absence and presence of the resin were obtained. It was found that the reaction follows pseudo-fi rst-order kinetics, and the experimental results were in good agreement with the proposed mathematical model.