Toothpaste out of a Seashell

Illustration of the process of making toothpaste out of a seashell.

By Sonya Hellen Sinombor

Seashell to toothpaste? That's it is. Through simple processing and costs are very cheap, Farah Adrienne (16) and Amalia Nur Alifah (17), when sitting on the bench of class XII SMA Negeri 3 Semarang, created it.

Toothpaste from seashell that won the bronze medal in the International Environmental Project Olympiad 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey, 19-22 May. The work, titled "the u.s. Environment Friendly Clamshell Toothpaste" that compete with 125 works from 55 countries.

Before being sent to Turkey, both of whom also won a silver medal at the 4th English Science Project Olympiad 2012, 22-24 February, at the Grand Hall, University of Indonesia.

In addition to utilizing the waste, toothpaste from seashell that is also environmentally friendly, without lauryl sulfate sodium element (SLS) in toothpaste is used generally. From the research and testing several times, they find the toothpaste does not have to use elements of the SLS.

"Generally we wear frothy as it uses SLS which served as detergents. We are making this toothpaste without SLS to change the habits of society have thought toothpaste foam to make it clean. In fact, it is not necessarily true because SLS pollute the environment, "said Farah and Amalia in Semarang, Central Java, last Thursday.

Results of the testing in the laboratory, toothpaste produced Farah and Amalia of calcium-containing 20.255 part per million, according to the content of calcium in toothpaste.

Both also tried toothpaste from seashell with organoleptik test (test of sensory) through student friends and family. "Us-made toothpaste tested to 50 from our people," said Farah.

Proven kekesatannya up to 80 per cent and 100 per cent felt cleaner after using toothpaste. "Fresh Flavor produced about 60 percent," said Amalia to qualify for selection in national universities (Q SNMPTN) at the Faculty of NATURAL SCIENCES Institut Teknologi Bandung.

Starting from waste

Manufacture of toothpaste from the shell waste that originated from Farah and Amalia's interest in waste during their seashell school science activities staged a final camp in 2011. It aims to encourage student activities sensitive to the environment.

Then, students on the beach, a detachable Morosari of Demak. The teacher asked them to look for a problem that is researched and resolved. See Shell waste the mussels, the student entrant program second thoughts it accelerated directly fixed on toothpaste.

"We are studying biology, shellfish that contain calcium. Well, we think if shells containing calcium, means made it possible to make toothpaste teeth strong, "said Amalia.

Armed with information from a wide variety of references, including on the internet, they began collecting the waste on the beach seashell Maron, Semarang. From there the process to manufacture toothpaste research begins.

How to manually

To make toothpaste from seashell, they wash the shell until clean, then manually using the mortar shells pounded the small stone. Once completely refined, filtered shell (sifted), then mixed magnesium carbonate (MgCO3), then mixed with glycerine to form a gel.

The next phase, adding oil pepermin which served as fresheners after people use toothpaste, including adding a betel leaf extracts as antikuman.

"So the colour is a bit interesting, we use food coloring colors green," said Farah who qualify at the Faculty of electrical engineering Q SNMPTN Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta.

The Pasta was so is then inserted into a special container toothpaste that store-bought chemicals. When entering the pasta into the tube, they trouble before there is a supervising teacher teaches how to create a tool like a shot to put the pasta into the tube.

To produce as many as 380 grams of toothpaste, both require 100 grams of powdered oyster shell (about 200-300 grams of seashell), 100 grams of MgCO3, 250 cc 5 cc, glycerine and pepermin. As for the time required to manufacture toothpaste as much as it was about 1.5 hours.

About the cost of making toothpaste from seashell, Farah and Amalia confirms, if converted to purchase toothpaste generally weighing 380 grams, toothpaste works they are cheaper. "The making of toothpaste as much as 380 grams only cost $ 10,000-$ 12,000. While if buy toothpaste other weighing it more than Rp 20,000, "said Farah.

Now, they're taking care of patent products. Mass production? They await there are investors who are interested.