ISSN:
0006-3592
Keywords:
chitin
;
chitosan
;
Mucor rouxii
;
polysaccharides
;
Chemistry
;
Biochemistry and Biotechnology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Process Engineering, Biotechnology, Nutrition Technology
Notes:
The isolation of chitosan from a fungal source offers the potential of a product with controlled physicochemical properties not obtainable by the commercial chemical conversion of crustacean chitin. A variety of culture and processing protocols using Mucor rouxii were studied for their effects on biomass yield and chitosan molecular weight. Weight-averaged molecular weight determined by gel permeation chromotography ranged from 2.0 × 105 to approximately 1.4 × 106 daltons. The chitosan yield ranged from 5% to 10% of total biomass dry weight and from 30% to 40% of the cell wall. Of the culture parameters studied, length of incubation and medium composition effected biomass production and molecular weight. Modification of the processing protocol, including the type and strength of acid, and cell wall disruption in acid prior to refluxing were used to optimize the efficiency of chitosan extraction.The degree of deacetylation of fungal and commercial chitosans was compared using infrared spectrometry, titration, and first derivative of UV absorbance spectrometry. The chitosan obtained directly from the fungal cell wall had a higher degree of deacetylation than commercial chitosan from the chemical conversion process.
Additional Material:
5 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bit.260390305
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