From kitchen waste to clean water.
ShellClean converts discarded eggshells into nanoparticles that capture cobalt and other heavy metals from wastewater: a cheap, reusable alternative to commercial adsorbents.
The problem
Heavy-metal removal is expensive, and eggshells are thrown away.
Industrial wastewater often carries cobalt and other heavy metals that are costly to remove with commercial adsorbents. Meanwhile, eggshells are discarded in huge quantities as food waste.
maximum cobalt removal achieved with eggshell nanoparticles.
removal efficiency maintained after 4 reuse cycles.
pollution indicators also reduced in real wastewater.
Source: the founding research paper (Physical Chemistry Research, 2024).
How it works
How it works
A clear path from data to decision.
Collect
Waste eggshells are cleaned and collected.
Nano-size
Shells are processed into calcium-rich nanoparticles.
Treat
Nanoparticles adsorb cobalt and other metals from wastewater.
Reuse
The adsorbent is regenerated and reused for several cycles.
Product
What makes it different.
Every feature is grounded in the founding research.
High removal
Up to 97.43% cobalt removal.
Reusable
Over 90% removal after 4 reuses.
Waste to value
Made from discarded eggshells.
Low cost
A cheap alternative to commercial adsorbents.
Who it's for
Who it's for.
Industrial plants
Treat metal-bearing wastewater affordably.
Wastewater treatment operators
A low-cost polishing step for heavy metals.
Food & poultry industry
Turn eggshell waste into a product.
The research
Built on peer-reviewed research.
- Eggshell nanoparticles used to treat wastewater containing Co(II) ions.
- Kinetic and equilibrium investigations of the adsorption process.
- Up to 97.43% cobalt removal, with more than 90% removal after 4 reuses.
- Reduced BOD5, COD and heavy metals in real wastewater samples.
Khaleel, A. Q., et al. (2024). Treatment of Wastewater Containing Co(II) Ions Using Eggshell Nanoparticles: Kinetic and Equilibrium Investigations. Physical Chemistry Research, 12(4), 1133–1145.
Team
The team behind it.
Founded in 2024 by a student team from the faculty below.
Faculty of Engineering Technologies (Medical Instruments Engineering)
Nanomaterials, adsorption testing and process design.
FAQ
Questions we hear often.
Which pollutants does it remove?
It was tested on cobalt and also reduced other heavy metals, BOD5 and COD in real wastewater.
How many times can it be reused?
It kept over 90% removal efficiency after 4 reuse cycles.
Is this a finished commercial product?
It is a research-based student startup moving from validated prototype toward pilots with real users.
Can we partner or run a pilot?
Yes. We are looking for organisations willing to test the solution in real conditions and share feedback.
Bring ShellClean to your organisation.
We are onboarding pilot partners now. Read the research and get in touch.