Microstructure Analysis and Chemical and Mechanical Characterization of the Shells of Three Freshwater Snails.

The shells of freshwater snails are discarded as waste, which qualify as biological materials with prospective multiple uses. To substantiate this proposition, an attempt was made to elucidate the physical and chemical properties of the shells of three freshwater snails, namely, , , and . The shells were prepared for electron microscopy and assessment of the calcium carbonate content, apart from the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and nanoindentation studies.

An insight into the structure, composition and hardness of a biological material: the shell of freshwater mussels.

The shell of the freshwater mussel (Mollusca: Bivalvia) is a composite biological material linked with multifunctional roles in sustaining ecosystem services. Apart from providing mechanical strength and support, the shell is an important site for adherence and growth of multiple types of algae and periphyton. Variations in the shell architecture are observed in the mussels both within a species and among different species.