Chitin / Chitosan

Chitin, the second most abundant natural biopolymer, is an unbranched chain of N-Acetyl-D-glucosamine units. It is present in the cell walls of fungi and is the principal component of arthropod and lower animal exoskeletons (insect, crab, and shrimp shells…).Chitin is analogous in chemical structure to cellulose and it may be regarded as a derivative of cellulose, in which the hydroxyl groups of the second carbon of each glucose unit have been replaced with acetamido (-NH(C=O)CH3) groups.   Chitosan is obtained by removing the acethyl groups (CH3-CO) of the chitin. This process, called deacetylation, releases amine groups (NH) and gives the chitosan a cationic characteristic.

Chitosan is obtained by removing the acethyl groups (CH3-CO) of the chitin. This process, called deacetylation, releases amine groups (NH) and gives the chitosan a cationic characteristic.

 CHEMICAL STRUCTURE OF CHITIN AND CHITOSAN:

Biomass sources:          



Potential activities: 
Chitin and chitosan have proven useful for several medical and industrial purposes.