Synthesizing and Characterization of Natural Biopolymer <i>Chitosan</i> Derived from Shrimp Type, <i>Penaeus monodon</i>

Abstract

In this study natural biopolymer “chitosan” was synthesized using locally available shrimp type of Penaeus monodon. Synthesis of chitosan involved four main stages; preconditioning, demineralization, deprotenisation and deacetylation. The first stage, “preconditioning” process, is a new step introduced in this research. Effect of deacetylation conditions such as alkali concentration, number of times deacetylation was performed and reaction temperature was investigated. Yields of chitin and chitosan from P. monodon were calculated. Chitosan was characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Degree of deacetylation of synthesized powder was calculated using FTIR spectra. Both characterization techniques confirm the existence of chitosan.Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 23 (3): 272-276 (2012)DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/tar.v23i3.4664

Keywords

• chitin
• chitosan
• degree of deacetylation
• penaus monodon
• shrimp shell