Studies on chitin: 7. I.r. spectroscopic determination of degree of deacetylation

Extraction Optimization and Structural Characteristics of Chitosan from Cuttlefish (S. pharaonis sp.) Bone

In fish processing, reducing the waste rate and increasing the economic value of products is an important issue for global environmental protection and resource sustainability. It has been discovered that cuttlefish bones can be an excellent resource for producing attractive amounts of chitin and chitosan. Therefore, this study optimized chitosan extraction conditions using response surface methodology (RSM) to establish application conditions suitable for industrial production and reducing environmental impact. In addition, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ¹H NMR and scanning electron microscope (SEM) characteristics of extracted chitosan were evaluated. The optimum extraction conditions for chitosan from cuttlebone chitin were 12.5M NaOH, 6 h and 80 °C, and the highest average yield was 56.47%. FTIR spectroscopy, ¹H NMR, and SEM identification proved that the chitosan prepared from cuttlefish bone has a unique molecular structure, and the degree of deacetylation of chitosan was about 81.3%. In addition, it was also confirmed that chitosan has significant anti-oxidation and oil-absorbing abilities. This research has successfully transformed the by-products of cuttlefish processing into value-added products. The process not only achieved the recycling and utilization of by-products but also enhanced industrial competitiveness and resource sustainability.

A facile approach for the determination of degree of deacetylation of chitosan using acid-base titration

Several spectroscopic techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), UV-visible, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), etc. have been already used for the determination of degree of deacetylation (DD) of chitosan. These techniques involve the interpretation of spectral data apart from sample preparation for obtaining DD of chitosan. In addition, inaccurate interpretation of data sometimes misleads researchers to get an exact value of DD of chitosan. Among them, NMR is an excellent technique for the estimation of DD of chitosan but expensive and not found easily in every research laboratory. On the other hand, titrimetric methods have been employed by many researchers for determining the DD of chitosan but these existing methods involve many complex calculations, which do not always give accurate results. Moreover, few of the acid-base titration methods are little complicated for execution. Therefore, in this present study, we adopted a very handy and simple acid-base titration method with a new approach and proposed a new equation facilitating the ease of calculation that is not reported elsewhere for the determination of DD value by observing the net volume of NaOH consumed for the complete neutralization of protonated amino groups (-NH₃⁺) of chitosan describing the novelty of the work. All the DD values (77.04 ± 1.36; 81.71 ± 1.73; 91.68 ± 1.42 for CS1, CS2, and CS3 respectively) obtained for various chitosan samples were in good agreement with the reported DD values (>75%, >80%, and >85% for CS1, CS2, and CS3 respectively) mentioned in the specifications of chitosan samples supplied by the manufacturer. Finally, the experimental DD values were further validated with the DD values (77.39%, 81.64%, and 90.5% for CS1, CS2, and CS3 respectively) obtained from the interpretation of ¹³C-NMR spectral data and all the experimental DD values were consistent with the DD values as calculated based on NMR spectra.

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The acid-base titration method with a new approach reported in this article for the determination of degree of deacetylation of chitosan provides an accuracy, reproducibility, and reliability.

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In addition, the reported method with a new approach is very convenient as compared to other existing methods to determine the degree of deacetylation of chitosan.

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The newly introduced equation to estimate degree of deacetylation of chitosan is very simple and convenient.

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The DD values of chitosan obtained by the acid-base titration method are perfectly validated based on ¹³C-NMR data.

Simultaneous deacetylation and degradation of chitin hydrogel by electrical discharge plasma using low sodium hydroxide concentrations

Electrical discharge plasma occurring in a liquid phase, so called solution plasma, can generate highly active species, e.g. free radicals, which can involve in various chemical reactions, leading to less chemical uses. In this study, solution plasma was applied to deacetylation of chitin aiming to reduce the use of alkali. It was found that solution plasma could induce deacetylation of chitin hydrogels that were dispersed in MeOH/water solutions containing low NaOH concentrations (1-12%). Due to the action of free radicals, some extent of chain session of the polymer occurred during the plasma treatment. The degree of deacetylation and molecular weight of the obtained chitosan were 78% and 220 kDa, respectively, after the plasma treatment for five cycles (1 h/cycle) by using 90% MeOH/water solution containing 12% NaOH. The obtained chitosan could completely dissolve in 2% acetic acid solution and had antibacterial activities against S. aureus and E. coli.

Chitin extraction from Allopetrolisthes punctatus crab using lactic fermentation

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Establishment of an optimized method to extract high quality chitin from A. punctatus crab by lactic acid fermentation.

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The method generate Lactobacillus plantarum sp. 87 high growth rate, high lactic acid production and prevent spoilage.

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Lactic acid fermentation developed method improves yield and quality of Chitin obtained compared to a chemical method.

Chitin extraction from Allopetrolisthes punctatus, a crab species proliferating in Chile and Peru seashores, was carried out applying preliminary lactic ensilation. For this purpose, Lactobacillus plantarum sp. 47 isolated from Coho salmon was inoculated in crab biomass. Previously, fermentation parameters (carbon source, inoculum concentration and incubation temperature) to obtain peak lactic acid production and bacterial growth were studied. The optimal fermentation conditions were 10% inoculum, 15% sucrose and 85% crab biomass, producing 17 mg lactic acid/ g silage. Extracted and purified chitin, after 60 h fermentation, showed 99.6 and 95.3% demineralization and deproteinization, respectively, using low concentrated acids and bases. As a means of comparison, chitin was also extracted by chemical hydrolysis using high concentrated acids and bases, giving a lower yield and lower quality product.

Enzymatic degradation of β-1,4-linked N-acetylglucosaminoglucan prepared from Thiothrix nivea

Thiothrix nivea is a filamentous sulfur-oxidizing bacterium commonly found in activated sludge. The filament of this bacterium is covered with a sheath. The sheath is an assemblage of macromolecular glucosaminoglucan (GG), [4)-β-d-GlcN-(1 → 4)-β-d-Glc-(1 → ]_n, modified with an unidentified deoxy-sugar at position 3 of Glc. GG was obtained by dialysis after the partial hydrolysis of the sheath. The GG hydrogel was prepared by drying a GG solution. Then, the hydrogel was N-acetylated to prepare a stable hydrogel of N-acetylglucosaminoglucan (NGG), [4)-β-d-GlcNAc-(1 → 4)-β-d-Glc-(1 → ]_n. The NGG hydrogel was stable in phosphate buffer but was disrupted by lysozyme addition, suggesting that NGG is susceptible to lysozyme degradation and has potential for medical use. The GG solution was N-acetylated to prepare a NGG suspension to confirm enzymatic degradation. The turbidity of the NGG suspension was decreased by lysozyme addition. Sugars released in the reaction mixture were derivatized with 4-aminobenzoic acid ethyl ester (ABEE) followed by HPLC analysis. Two major derivatives were detected, and their concentration was increased in reverse proportion to the turbidity of the reaction mixture. The derivatives were identified as GlcNAc-Glc-GlcNAc-Glc-ABEE and GlcNAc-Glc-ABEE by mass spectrometry. Consequently, NGG was found to be degraded by lysozyme via a mechanism similar to that of chitin degradation.

Biomineralization of gold by Mucor plumbeus: The progress in understanding the mechanism of nanoparticles' formation

This contribution describes the deposition of gold nanoparticles by microbial reduction of Au(III) ions using the mycelium of Mucor plumbeus. Biosorption as the major mechanism of Au(III) ions binding by the fungal cells and the reduction of them to the form of Au(0) on/in the cell wall, followed by the transportation of the synthesized gold nanoparticles to the cytoplasm, is postulated. The probable mechanism behind the reduction of Au(III) ions is discussed, leading to the conclusion that this process is nonenzymatic one. Chitosan of the fungal cell wall is most likely to be the major molecule involved in biomineralization of gold by the mycelium of M. plumbeus. Separation of gold nanoparticles from the cells has been carried out by the ultrasonic disintegration and the obtained nanostructures were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy and transmission electron micrograph analysis. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:1381-1392, 2017.

Evaluation of Melanoidins Formed from Black Garlic after Different Thermal Processing Steps

The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of melanoidins formed from black garlic (BG) after different thermal processing steps. The melanoidins formed from BG during thermal processing were produced in large amounts, and the initial (280 nm), intermediate (360 nm), and final stage product (420 nm) had similar tendencies. Compounds like degraded proteins, peptides, and phenolic acids were present in the melanoidins during thermal processing. All the melanoidin samples showed different absorptions in the UV-visible spectra, although these had similar shapes. Moreover, the carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen content of melanoidins formed from BG during thermal processing decreased initially, and then increased. However, the nitrogen content increased during thermal processing. As thermal processing progressed, the molecular weight of all the melanoidin samples showed increasing intensities, whereas the major peaks of each melanoidin sample had different retention times. Furthermore, the melanoidins formed from BG after different thermal processing steps contained -OH, -CH, amide I, and III groups. The crystallinity of the melanoidins was majorly formed at 31.58° and 43.62° (2θ).

"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" of Chitosans

The objective of this paper is to emphasize the fact that while consistent interest has been paid to the industrial use of chitosan, minor attention has been devoted to spread the knowledge of a good characterization of its physico-chemical properties. Therefore, the paper attempts to critically comment on the conflicting experimental results, highlighting the facts, the myths and the controversies. The goal is to indicate how to take advantage of chitosan versatility, to learn how to manage its variability and show how to properly tackle some unexpected undesirable features. In the sections of the paper various issues that relate chitosan properties to some basic features and to advanced solutions and applications are presented. The introduction outlines some historical pioneering works, where the chemistry of chitosan was originally explored. Thereafter, particular reference is made to analytical purity, characterization and chain modifications. The macromolecular characterization is mostly related to molecular weight and to degree of acetylation, but also refers to the conformational and rheological properties and solution stability. Then, the antimicrobial activity of chitosan in relation with its solubility is reviewed. A section is dedicated to the formulation of chitosan biomaterials, from gel to nanobeads, exploring their innovative application as active carrier nanoparticles. Finally, the toxicity issue of chitosan as a polymer and as a constructed nanomaterial is briefly commented in the conclusions.

Determination of the degree of acetylation of chitin/chitosan by pyrolysis-gas chromatography in the presence of oxalic Acid

A new method to determine directly and rapidly the degree of acetylation of chitin/chitosan was developed based on reactive pyrolysis-gas chromatography in the presence of an oxalic acid aqueous solution. The degree of acetylation was precisely evaluated on the basis of peak intensities of the characteristic products such as acetonitrile, acetic acid, and acetamide originating from the N-acetyl group of N-acetyl-d-glucosamine units of chitin/chitosan. The observed values were in good agreement with those obtained by (1)H NMR and the other methods. Moreover, the proposed technique was applicable to any kinds of chitin/chitosan samples over the whole range of acetylation including insoluble chitin/chitosan and perfectly acetylated artificial chitin having higher crystallinity to which (1)H NMR had been inapplicable.

Preparation of chitosan-coated polyethylene packaging films by DBD plasma treatment

Polyethylene (PE) packaging films were coated with chitosan in order to introduce the antibacterial activity to the films. To augment the interaction between the two polymers, we modified the surfaces of the PE films by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma before chitosan coating. After that the plasma-treated PE films were immersed in chitosan acetate solutions with different concentrations of chitosan. The optimum plasma treatment time was 10 s as determined from contact angle measurement. Effect of the plasma treatment on the surface roughness of the PE films was investigated by atomic force microscope (AFM) while the occurrence of polar functional groups was observed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS) and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscope (FTIR). It was found that the surface roughness as well as the occurrence of oxygen-containing functional groups (i.e., C═O, C-O, and -OH) of the plasma-treated PE films increased from those of the untreated one, indicating that the DBD plasma enhanced hydrophilicity of the PE films. The amounts of chitosan coated on the PE films were determined after washing the coated films in water for several number of washing cycles prior to detection of the chitosan content by the Kjaldahl method. The amounts of chitosan coated on the PE films were constant after washing for three times and the chitosan-coated PE films exhibited appreciable antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Hence, the obtained chitosan-coated PE films could be a promising candidate for antibacterial food packaging.

Structural features and bioactivities of the chitosan

Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic studies (3500-600 cm(-1)) showed some different bands of chitosan. The absorption at 3439 cm(-1) is stretching vibration of -OH and -NH(2) bonds, indicating the association of the hydrogen-bond between them. The bands at 1659, 1599 and 1321 cm(-1) are attributable to the peaks of stretching vibrations of amide I (ν((C=O))), II (δ((N-H))), and the peak of stretching and bending vibrations of III (ν((C-N))) (δ((N-H))). The chitosan showed strong free radical scavenging activities. Pretreatment with chitosan significantly prevented the decrease of antioxidant enzymes activities and the increase of p-JNK at 3 h after renal ischemia and reduced renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis.

Chitosan-glucose conjugates: influence of extent of Maillard reaction on antioxidant properties

Chitosan-glucose conjugates were prepared using Maillard reaction chemistry. Water-soluble and acid-soluble chitosan-glucose mixtures were heated at pH 4.9 and 6.0 at 98 °C. Mixtures at pH 6.0 containing acid-soluble chitosan gelled when heating was continued after reaching 98 °C and withstood gelation for only 30 min at pH 4.9. In contrast, mixtures containing water-soluble chitosan could be heated without gelation at pH 6.0 and 4.9. Examination of the extent of Maillard reaction and antioxidant properties showed that acid-soluble chitosan reacted for 30 min at pH 4.9 had the highest extent of reaction as judged by increased absorbance, the highest degree of modification to the amino group as evidenced by Fourier transform infrared and shifts of the endotherms by differential scanning calorimetry, and the highest antioxidant activity as indicated by ferric reducing power and oxygen radical absorbance capacity. There were significant correlations (p < 0.05) between indices of browning and antioxidant activity.

Controlled release of theophylline through semi-interpenetrating network microspheres of chitosan-(dextran-g-acrylamide)

Semi-interpenetrating network microspheres of chitosan-(dextran-g-acrylamide) were prepared by emulsion-crosslinking method using glutaraldehyde (GA) as a crosslinking agent. Graft copolymerization of dextran with acrylamide (Dx-g-AAm) was carried out by aqueous free-radical polymerization using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) as initiator. The grafting efficiency was found to be 92%. Theophylline (TH), antiasthmatic drug, was successfully encapsulated into semi-INP microspheres by varying the ratio of Dx-g-AAm and amount of GA. The laser light scattering technique shows that the particles size increased with increasing amount of graft copolymer and decrease with increasing amount of GA. The % encapsulation efficiency was found to vary between 50 and 78. MPs were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques to confirm the graft copolymer, formation of semi-IPN structure of MPs and molecular distribution of the drug molecules in the polymer matrix. In vitro release studies of TH from these matrices have been investigated at Ph 1.2 and 7.4 media and the slow release were extended up to 18 h at 37 degrees C. The release rates were fitted to an empirical equation to estimate the diffusion exponent n, which indicated that the release from the MPs follows non-Fickian type.

Tannic acid incorporation in chitosan-based microparticles and in vitro controlled release

Chitosan, a natural polycationic polysaccharide, was coupled with two polyanionic polymers: Na-alginate and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and with tannic acid (TA) obtaining three species of self-assembled complexes: chitosan/alginate/TA (sample 1), chitosan/TA (sample 2) and chitosan/CMC/TA (sample 3). The microparticle formation was achieved by dropwise addition of one solution into other by using a coaxial airflow sprayer. These systems were characterized with regard to particle size distribution, thermal stability, tannic acid entrapment efficiency. Sample 2 showed quite a different behavior compared to the other two samples; the particle diameter is located in the nanometric region, the quantity of incorporated tannic acid is higher than in the other two samples and the material shows better thermal stability. The release of tannic acid from these complexes was studied in water (pH = 5.89), phosphates buffer (pH = 7.04) and acetate buffer (pH = 4.11). These studies revealed two distinct periods in tannic acid delivery process: an initial period, varying between 4 and 10 h, characterized by a high release rate with a delivered tannic acid amount of approximately 80% of the incorporated polyphenol and a second period, which starts after 20 to 30 h of delivery and it ends after approximately 120 h, when the release process takes place with low and constant rate and the kinetic curve is linear--characteristic for a zero order kinetic.