Abstract
Disposal of chitin wastes from crustacean shell can cause environmental and health hazards. Chitin is a well known abundant natural polymer extracted after deproteinization and demineralization of the shell wastes of shrimp, crab, lobster, and krill. Extraction of chitin and its derivatives from waste material is one of the alternative ways to turn the waste into useful products. Chitinases are enzymes that degrade chitin. Chitinases contribute to the generation of carbon and nitrogen in the ecosystem. Chitin and chitinolytic enzymes are gaining importance for their biotechnological applications. The presence of surface charge and multiple functional groups make chitin as a beneficial natural polymer. Due to the reactive functional groups chitin can be used for the preparation of a spectrum of chitin derivatives such as chitosan, alkyl chitin, sulfated chitin, dibutyryl chitin and carboxymethyl chitin for specific applications in different areas. The present review is aimed to summarize the efficacy of the chitinases on the chitin and its derivatives and their diverse applications in biomedical and environmental field. Further this review also discusses the synthesis of various chitin derivatives in detail and brings out the importance of chitin and its derivatives in biomedical and environmental applications.
Highlights
Chitin is a natural polymer, first discovered in mushrooms by French Professor, Henrni Braconnot, in 1811
If the degree of deacetylation (DDA) is less than 50%, it is termed as chitin and if the DDA is greater than 50%, it is termed as chitosan35
This review focused on the recent developments related to biomedical and environmental applications of chitin, chitinases, and chitin derivatives
Summary
Chitin is a natural polymer, first discovered in mushrooms by French Professor, Henrni Braconnot, in 1811. Chitin is similar to cellulose and is considered to be a derivative of cellulose where the C2 hydroxyl groups were replaced by acetamido residues In nature, chitin is found as crystalline microfibrils which form the structural components of many organisms. More than 10,000 tons of shell fish waste is available every year, which would provide sufficient raw material for the production of chitin Chitin contains amino sugars, compriseing of two monomeric units namely N-acetylglucosamine and glucosamine. Groups/Species Beetles (Insects) Bombyx mori (Insects) Honeybees (Insects) Aedes aegypti (Insects) Cancer pagurus (Crab) Carcinus maenas (Crab) Lithodes aequispinus (Golden king crab) Chionoecetes opilio (Snow crab) Erimacrus isenbeckii (Korean hair crab) Paralithodes platypus (Blue king crab) Paralithodes camtchaticus (Red king crab) Chionoecetes bairdi (Tanner crab) Parapenaeopsis stylifera (Shrimp) Penaeus carinatus (Shrimp) Penaeus monodon (Shrimp) Litopenaeus vannamei (Shrimp) Jasus lalandii (Lobster) Homarus americanus (Lobster) Sepia offcinalis (Cuttlefish) Loligo vulgaris (Squid) Absidia glauca (Fungi) Absidia coerulea (Fungi) Aspergillus niger (Fungi) Mucor rouxii (Fungi) Phycomyces blakesleeanus (Fungi) Gongronella butleri (Fungi) Absidia blakesleeana (Fungi) Rhizopus oryzae (Fungi) Trichoderma reesei (Fungi) Lentinus edodes (Fungi)
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