Characteristic
Chitin, poly (β-(1-4)-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine), is a natural polysaccharide of major importance, first identified in 1884. It is the second most abundant natural biopolymer after cellulose. The main sources exploited are two marine crustaceans, shrimp and crabs. Due to its intermolecular hydrogen bonds, chitin is insoluble in water. However, water-soluble chitin-based derivatives, such as chitosan or carboxymethyl chitin can be obtained. One of the most important characteristics of chitin is the flexibility to be processed into different forms such as flakes, fibers, gels, beads, sponges, cottons and membranes. In addition, chitin has properties such as high viscosity, moisturizing, metal chelatlng, polyelectrolyte-forming. As a result, it has a very wide range of applications in different fields such as food, microbiology, agriculture, waste water treatment, drug delivery systems, etc.
Specification
| Item | Industrial Grade | Reagent Grade |
|---|
| CAS Number | 1398-61-4 | 1398-61-4 |
| Catalog Number | MC1398614 | MC1398614 |
| Molecular Formula | (C8H13NO5)n | (C8H13NO5)n |
| Appearance | Light yellow or greenish grey powder or flake | White powder or flake |
| Moisture | ≤12% | ≤10% |
| Ash | ≤3% | ≤0.5% |
| Arsenic (As) | ≤1 ppm | ≤1 ppm |
| Lead (Pb) | ≤1 ppm | ≤1 ppm |
Note: The parameters of the product can be adjusted according to your requirements.
Applications
The preservatives used in food products can be replaced by chitin-based ones. There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, chitinous materials are safer and secondly, due to their antibacterial activity, they protect foodstuffs from microbial invasion. In addition, chitin is widely used to immobilize enzymes, which is useful in the food industry. For example, when α- and β-amylases or invertase are grafted onto chitin, they can be used in the clarification of fruit juices and the processing of milk [1].
Chitin has unique biochemical properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-toxicity and the ability to form films. This makes it an innovative biomaterial that is expected to be used in biomedical applications such as wound dressings, drug delivery devices and scaffolds for tissue engineering.
Chitin induces or enhances the natural defense mechanisms of plants. It is a plant growth regulator, growth stimulant and elicitor of the production of secondary metabolites. It is used as a component in the preparation of soil conditioning agents, plant disease control agents, ripening retardants and is considered to be an organic fertilizer.
- Environmental protection industry
In recent years, the environmental friendliness of chitin has been well documented. The commercial value of using chitin for environmental applications has attracted considerable interest. The high surface area of chitin allows it to be used as an absorber for soil and water pollutants. In addition, chitin plays an important role in the marine environment. It protects the abundant coralline algae from the negative effects of ocean acidification [2].
In addition to the above-mentioned fields, chitin has a wide range of applications in nutraceutical products, beauty and cosmetics, paper pulp, textiles, bioplastics, sensors, etc.
Choose Alfa Chemistry
As a first-class supplier of marine biomaterials, we have experienced experts and professional R & D laboratories. We have the ability to offer our customers high quality chitin. According to your requirements, we can also customize products with different parameters for you. If you would like more information, please feel free to contact us.
References
- Krajewska, B. Application of chitin- and chitosan-based materials for enzyme immobilizations: a review. Enzyme and Microbial Technology. 2004, 35: 126-39.
- Rahman, M. A.; et al. The role of chitin-rich skeletal organic matrix on the crystallization of calcium carbonate in the crustose coralline alga Leptophytum foecundum. Sci. Rep. 2019, 9: 1-8.
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
