Extraction and Characterization of Chitosan from Shrimp Shells

Chitosan is one of the most studied polysaccharides nowadays. Because it is non-toxic, widely used in food, pharmaceutical processes, agricultural, and presents excellent biological properties such as biodegradation in the human body, and antibacterial. In the present study we reported the extraction of low cost chitosans (Cs1, Cs2, Cs3 and Cs4) from shrimp shells by extraction of chitin (Egypt: case study), then alkaline deacetylation of chitin with strong alkaline solution at different period of time. The different prepared chitosans (Cs1, Cs2, Cs3 and Cs4) were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, thermal stability, morphology, crystallography, elemental analysis and degree of deacetylation. The data showed that the prepared chitosan Cs2 has the most thermal stability and the highest degree of deacetylation.