Chitin and chitosan: Properties and applications

Chitosan as Antimicrobial Agent: Applications and Mode of Action

Application of chitosan, a natural aminopolysaccharide, for dye removal from aqueous solutions by adsorption processes using batch studies: A review of recent literature

Interactions of metal ions with chitosan-based sorbents: a review

Chitin and its deacetylated derivative chitosan are natural polymers composed of randomly distributed � -(1-4)- linked D-glucosamine (deacetylated unit) and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (acetylated unit). Chitin is insoluble in aqueous media while chitosan is soluble in acidic conditions due to the free protonable amino groups present in the D-glucosamine units. Due to their natural origin, both chitin and chitosan can not be defined as a unique chemical structure but as a fam- ily of polymers which present a high variability in their chemical and physical properties. This variability is related not only to the origin of the samples but also to their method of preparation. Chitin and chitosan are used in fields as different as food, biomedicine and agriculture, among others. The success of chitin and chitosan in each of these specific applica- tions is directly related to deep research into their physicochemical properties. In recent years, several reviews covering different aspects of the applications of chitin and chitosan have been published. However, these reviews have not taken into account the key role of the physicochemical properties of chitin and chitosan in their possible applications. The aim of this review is to highlight the relationship between the physicochemical properties of the polymers and their behaviour. A functional characterization of chitin and chitosan regarding some biological properties and some specific applications (drug delivery, tissue engineering, functional food, food preservative, biocatalyst immobilization, wastewater treatment, molecular imprinting and metal nanocomposites) is presented. The molecular mechanism of the biological properties such as biocompatibility, mucoadhesion, permeation enhancing effect, anticholesterolemic, and antimicrobial has been up- dated.

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Functional Characterization of Chitin and Chitosan

The conversion of processed discarded material into valuable by-products and alternative specialty materials has been identified as a timely challenge for food research and development associated with numerous applications of chitinous products. Chitin, chitosan, calcareous chitin, and chitosan, N-acetylated chitosan, N-methylene phosphonic chitosan (NMPC), and N-lauryl-N-methylene phosphonic chitosan (LMPC) are being studied as a result of their broad range of food applications. These biopolymers offer a wide range of unique applications including formation of biodegradable films, immobilization of enzymes, preservation of foods from microbial deterioration, as additives (clarification and deacidification of fruits and beverages, emulsifier agents, thickening and stabilizing agents, color stabilization), and dietary supplements. This review summarizes some of the most important developments in this field.

Present and Future Role of Chitin and Chitosan in Food

The chitosans use as an emulsifier in food emulsions was explored. The properties of chitosan (air/solution surface activity, electrical conductivity, HLB) were studied. The obtained emulsions were stable multiple w/o/w emulsions, whose characteristics were explained on the basis of the emulsifier structure and solution properties. The reaction with an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecylsulfate, was also studied, giving a water-insoluble complex at a given surfactant/chitosan ratio.

María Susana Rodríguez

Papers

Present and Future Role of Chitin and Chitosan in Food

Emulsification properties of chitosan

Bioremediation of crude oil polluted seawater by a hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial strain immobilized on chitin and chitosan flakes

Modified chitosan carrying phosphonic and alkyl groups

Emulsification capacity of chitosan