Process for producing mussel-derived liquid fertilizer

Abstract

The present utility model relates to a process for producing a liquid fertilizer from whole mussel biomass comprising soft-tissue and shell materials. The process comprises washing the mussel biomass, contacting the washed biomass with an aqueous potassium hydroxide solution, and maintaining the resulting mixture under ambient temperature conditions for 2-3 weeks to substantially hydrolyze and liquefy the soft-tissue material without prior shell removal, mechanical comminution, or externally applied heating. The hydrolyzed mixture is filtered to separate remaining shell fragments and coarse insoluble materials. A humic-acid-containing material is subsequently incorporated into the filtered hydrolysate, followed by neutralization with acetic acid to obtain the mussel-derived liquid fertilizer. The process provides a means for converting underutilized or otherwise discarded mussel biomass into a liquid agricultural input for use as a fertilizer.