Quantitative detection of chitin in composted shellfish

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Angus Horticulture Ltd have developed a composting process which utilises waste from the Scottish shellfish industry to produce an innovative and novel soil improver that can increase the long-term soil health and quality of agricultural and horticultural soils. This approach builds on many years of research and experience from scientists employed by Angus Horticulture Ltd as well as others globally, on the use of shellfish waste and its key component - chitin - for sustainably improving soil health, and subsequently reducing the impact of significant soil-borne pests and pathogens of a range of agricultural and horticultural crops in the process. In addition the chitin-based soil improver will increase the organic matter content of soils; deliver carbon savings by sequestration of carbon in the soil from the shellfish waste and other components of the soil improver/conditioner; reduce the amount of fertiliser required by farmers/growers; and reduce pesticide used to treat soil-borne pathogens and pests of crops.To improve the quality control of the final soil improver product, an accurate and economic method for determining the chitin content of the composted chitin soil improver is necessary. This collaborative project with the National Physics Laboratory will develop a deployable solution for chitin determination that has been validated using material supplied by Angus Horticulture Ltd of various known chitin concentrations, and several batches of chitin soil improver product.