Isolation and characterisation of chitin and chitosan from local sources

Abstract

In this study, indigenous shrimp (Gadus morhua) and blue crab (Portunus pelagius, male & female) from Karachi coastal area were collected. The flesh was extracted to use for eating and the discarded waste was converted to an environment-friendly value-added product chitosan in chemical process after minor modification of DMCPA protocol. Four chitosan samples of shrimp head shells, blue crab leg shells, claw shells and carapace were obtained. The physicochemical and functional properties i.e., colour, degree of deacetylation, moisture, ash contents, nitrogen, viscosity, water and fat binding capacities were evaluated. Comparative study showed good percentage yields of chitosan from crab leg and shrimp head shells as 25.67% and 22.06%, respectively. Moisture, ash and nitrogen contents were in acceptable ranges. The colour of blue crab leg shell was off-white, while other three were light-yellow. Difference in degree of deacetylation (DD) was significant. The DD was 77% in crab leg shell, 61.6% shrimp head shells, 25.5% crab claw shell and 20.4% for crab carapace chitosan samples. Viscosity values were low (41-116 cPs). Water and fat binding capacity were in range of 494-521 % and 378-428 %, respectively.