Functional Characterization of Chitin and Chitosan

Abstract: 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 family 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…