Extraction of β-chitin using deep eutectic solvents for biomedical applications

Abstract

Chitin is a value-oriented mucopolysaccharide raw source for the advanced biomedical industry. Recent developments in the strategies for the effective utilization of tons and tons of biowastes can be promising steps towards green chemistry and sustainable development. Traditional chemical isolation of chitin from natural sources has been replaced by Ionic liquids, which are now being replaced by environment-friendly Deep Eutectic Solvents. The purity, crystallinity, and yield of the extracted chitin vary with the chemicals used, method adapted, and biomass source. In this research, β-chitin extracted from Indo-West Arabian Sea squid pens (Uroteuthis duvaucelli) source using deep eutectic solvents composed of Choline chloride (HBA) and Malonic acid (HBD) are studied. As a versatile nanomaterial, it has several uses, including cancer diagnostics, tissue engineering, therapeutic delivery, and tissue repairs. Until now, no works have been discussing the extraction of β-chitin using DESs. The efficiency of DES in β-chitin extraction is studied in this work.