Im doing a bit of worldbuilding involving some molluscs in an alkaline lake. I read that plastics are resistant to base corrosion and later that some plastics such as polyethylene can be produced using organic materials such as ethanol from fermentation. I was thinking that these molluscs could ferment consumed plants and produce polyethylene in their bodies to create a base-resistant shell that would help them survive. (old content) Along with some other adaptations, I am wondering if they could viably develop shells made of a material resistant to base corrosion and would like some real life examples.

  • k48r@lemmy.worldEnglish
    10·
    8 days ago

    Chitin is a real biopolymer that makes up shells.

    There are some organisms that have been modified to produce polymers from varuous food sources, but those are more for biofermentation production processes than something the organisms would use as a shell