UTILIZATION OF DARA (Anadara Granosa) SEASHELL WASTES AS TOOTHPASTE
1. Introduction
The most important ingredient of toothpaste
is calcium carbonate (CaCO3), an abrasive ingredient
in toothpaste, it’s soft particles can erode and cleanse
microbes on the teeth’s surface. According to the
Indonesian ministry of oceanic creatures, one of the
commodity that can be produced in high amount are
seashells. Every year in Indonesia the production of
seashells is growing by 5,18%, however this
commodity also produces wastes that haven’t been
utilized optimally (only 20% are utilized optimally).
According to certain researches, an abundant amount
of calcium carbonate can be found in a Dara seashell
(about 98% can be utilized). The calcium carbonate
can be isolated into calcium oxide (CaO) and then be
processed into hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2)
which is a primary anorganic component in bones
and teeth. From that background, the writer suggests
utilizing Dara seashell wastes as toothpaste.
2. Problem Statement
Utilizing Dara seashell wastes into an
alternative and environmental-friendly toothpaste
because there is an abundant amount of Dara seashell
wastes in Indonesia’s sea commodity.
3. The Purpose of the Investigation
This study aims at utilizing Dara seashell
waste into valuable product to become Dara seashell
toothpaste.
4. Research Method
This research was conducted by processing
Dara seashell wastes into the toothpaste and to know
how Dara seashell wastes can be utilized as
toothpaste. Here are the procedure to process seashell
wastes into toothpaste :
1. Wash the Dara seashells.
2. Crush the Dara seashells into powder.
3. Filtered the shells that have been
powderized and repeated 3 times to get a
very small particles .
4. Mix the 8 gr Dara seashell powder with
15 gr magnesium carbonate (MgCO3), 40 ml
glycerin, and 10 ml sorbitol.
5. Crush mint leafs and pour a bit of water,
mix it with the powder.
6. Mix until the texture of the mixture
thickens.
5. Result and Analysis
The writer conducted over 3 experiments.
The first experiment failed because the seashell
particles were still too rough and couldn’t be mixed
well, so when the writer tried the toothpaste, it felt
uncomfortable. The second experiment failed
because of the addition of sodium alginate into the
toothpaste mix. The purpose of adding sodium
alginate is to make the texture of toothpaste dense
because the texture of the mix at the beginning is
liquid, but after several hours the texture of the mix
become very solid, and it can’t be used. The third
experiment succeeded. In the third experiment the
writer filtered the Dara seashell powder multiple
times and didn’t add sodium alginate into toothpaste.
After all the ingredient were mixed, the writer left the
mix and checked it after several hours. The mix had
become dense by itself and could be used as
toothpaste.
On this research, the writer used Dara
(Anadara Granosa) seashell because it contains a lot
more calcium carbonate than any other types of
seashell. A high concentration of calcium carbonate
from the Dara seashell made the toothpaste able to
condensed by itself despite not having any additional
sodium alginate. Addition of glycerin prevents water
from reducing the density of the toothpaste. Glycerin
can make the toothpaste condensed by itself too.
Moreover, the purpose of adding sorbitol and mint
leaf extract is to act as humectants, an ingredient that
can keep the lost of water concentration on
toothpaste, so the toothpaste won’t solidify when it is
exposed to the air. In order to prevent the toothpaste
from becoming an osmotic laxative, don’t add too
much sorbitol.
So according to the research results, Dara
seashell can be used as an ingredient for toothpaste
because it contains calcium carbonate. Calcium
carbonate is the primary ingredient of toothpaste
because it is an abrasive substance that can remove
stains and plaques. The utilization of Dara seashell
wastes into toothpaste could reduce the stacking of
wastes in the environment. The calcium carbonate in
Dara seashell can replace other chemical substances
in a toothpaste, it can also become an alternative in
creating an environmental-friendly and natural
toothpaste because it doesn’t contain any dangerous
chemical substances.
6. Conclusion
From the result of experiment, the writer can
conclude that Dara seashell contains an abundant
amount of calcium carbonate and can be proven to be
the base ingredient of toothpaste . By balancing the
composition it can be utilized to be the optimal
toothpaste. Addition of Sodium Alginate isn’t needed
for Dara seashell toothpaste because the calcium
carbonate in Dara seashell can make the toothpaste
condense by itself. Therefore, Dara seashell wastes
can be utilized into valuable toothpaste and it is the
alternative to create an environmental-friendly
toothpaste.

References

1. Heriawan Budiarto, Adiwarna. 2013. Pengaruh

Konsentrasi Gliserin terhadap Viskositas dari
Pembuatan Pasta Gigi Cangkang Kerang Dara.
KONVERSI, Vol. 2, No. 2, 13-22
2. Ilham Ahmad. 2017. Pemanfaatan Limbah
Cangkang Kerang Dara Sebagai Bahan Abrasif
Dalam Pasta Gigi. Galung Tropika Journal, Vol.
6, 49-59
3. Randy Zakya. 2017. Pemanfaatan Cangkang
Telur Ayam Sebagai Bahan Dasar Pembuatan
Pasta Gigi Ramah Lingkungan. Karya Tulis
SMA Labschool Cibubur
4. Warsy, dkk. 2016. Optimalisasi Kalsium
Karbonat dari Cangkang Telur untuk Produksi
Pasta Komposisit. Al-Kimia, Vol. 4, No.2, 86-97