Microstructural and Elemental Characterization of Mucin and Shell Powder of Giant African Snail, Lissachatina fulica (Stylommatophora: Achatinidae)

The giant African snail, Lissachatina fulica (Bowdich, 1822), is a globally invasive terrestrial gastropod known to cause significant damage to a wide range of agricultural and horticultural crops. However, this land snail also represents a valuable natural source of biologically active mucin and mineralised shell biomaterials, highlighting its potential as a novel candidate for sustainable industrial and biomedical applications. The present study aimed to investigate the microstructural and elemental characteristics of mucin and shell powder using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled with Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). SEM analysis revealed that dried mucin exhibited a highly heterogeneous, amorphous and porous micro-architecture composed of irregular flake-like and lamellar aggregates with extensive surface overlapping. In contrast, shell powder showed angular, fractured particles with rough surfaces and extensive micro to sub-micron fragmentation. EDX analysis indicated that calcium is highly abundant in both mucin as well as shell powder, along with minor inorganic constituents. Overall, the study provides baseline insights into the distinct structural and compositional attributes of these biomaterials, indicating their potential utility in biomaterials development, biomedical applications and environmentally sustainable technologies.