Whey as a solvent of medium weight chitosan

Abstract

The possibility of using whey – dairy industry liquid wastes containing more than 200 organic substances – as a solvent of chitosan of definite molecular weight has been considered. Samples of whey selected on dairy plants, medium weight chitosan and their solutions in whey have been studied. It has been found that the sample of chitosan Mm 28.5 kDa is soluble in whey (solids of not more than 5 % and pH = 4.85) and forms viscous solution with concentration 0.72 %, dynamic viscosity 0.016 Pa•s. This solution is stable without phase separation during storage at ambient temperature