Nur Amirah Ishak Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
Lead is commonly used for radiation shielding, but its toxicity and weight create health and environmental concerns. This study investigates the potential of recycled duck eggshell waste as an eco-friendly alternative for radiation shielding. Duck eggshells were cleaned, dried, ground into powder, and mixed with cornstarch and glycerol to produce biodegradable biopolymer films. Eggshell powder was added at concentrations of 10–50% by mass. The films were characterised using FTIR, SEM, and UV-Vis spectroscopy, while thickness, density, tensile strength, and radiation shielding performance were evaluated. Alpha, beta, and gamma radiation shielding were tested using Americium-241, Cesium-137, and Cobalt-60 sources, respectively. Increasing eggshell content improved film thickness, density, UV-blocking ability, and gamma-ray attenuation. All films effectively blocked alpha radiation, while beta shielding was achieved at 30% or higher and gamma shielding at 50% eggshell content. These findings demonstrate that duck eggshell waste can be converted into lightweight, biodegradable, and sustainable radiation shielding materials, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional lead-based shields.