title: Optimization of chitin extraction from shrimp shells.
abstract: The aim of this paper is to define optimal conditions for the extraction of chitin from shrimp shells. The kinetics of both demineralization and deproteinization with, in the latter case, the role of temperature are studied. The characterization of the residual calcium and protein contents, the molecular weights, and degrees of acetylation (DA) allows us to propose the optimal conditions as follows. The demineralization is completely achieved within 15 min at ambient temperature in an excess of HCl 0.25 M (with a solid-to-liquid ratio of about 1/40 (w/v)). The deproteinization is conveniently obtained in NaOH 1 M within 24 h at a temperature close to 70 degrees C with no incidence on the molecular weight or the DA. In these conditions, the residual content of calcium in chitin is below 0.01%, and the DA is almost 95%.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Matériaux Polymères et des Biomatériaux, UMR-CNRS 5627, Bâtiment ISTIL, Domaine Scientifique de la Doua, 15 Bd André Latarjet, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Percot
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Viton
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Domard
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D000818:Animals; D002686:Chitin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D033364:Decapoda / Q000737:chemistry*; D007700:Kinetics; D011506:Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D002686:Chitin