High intensity ultrasound irradiation applied to the extraction of beta-chitin from squid pens and to the production of chitosan

• Grant number: 09/17317-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2010
• End date: November 30, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Sérgio Paulo Campana Filho
• Grantee: Bruna Rodrigues Moreira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The project aims the development of more efficient methods for the extraction of chitin from the biomass and for its conversion to chitosan by carrying out the chitin deacetylation in alkaline medium. It proposes an investigation of new methods aiming to improve the efficiency and the reproducibility of the above mentioned processes. Thus, the use of high intensity ultrasound irradiation is proposed aiming to improve the reagents accessibility during the execution of the processes to extract chitin from the biomass and its conversion to chitosan. Therefore, it proposes the study of the effects of the high intensity ultrasound irradiation on: a)the yield of the extraction of chitin from the biomass (cefalotoraxes of Macrobrachium rosenbergii and pens of Lolig sp) and b)the characteristics of extracted chitin. The production of chitosan by treating the previously demineralized biomass with high intensity ultrasound irradiation in aqueous sodium hydroxide will also be investigated. The influence of the irradiation amplitude and duration, and of the sodium hydroxide concentration will be studied. The samples will be characterized with respect to ash content, humidity, solubility, average degree of acetylation, intrinsic viscosity, average molecular weight, dispersity, and morphology. These caharacterization will be carried out by using FTIR, NMR, TGA, titrimetry, X rays diffraction, MEV and SEC.