title: Functional characteristics of shrimp chitosan and its membranes as affected by the degree of deacetylation.
abstract: The functional properties of three shrimp chitosan preparations with different degrees of deacetylation (75%, 87% and 96% DD) but with a constant molecular weight (about 810 kDa) were investigated. Chitosan with 75% DD had a 1.5 times higher water absorption, probably due to its 20% lower level of crystallinity. Membranes cast from this chitosan also exhibited 1.5 times more water absorption and 2 times higher permeability. However, chitosan with 87% and 96% DD had 1.5-2 times higher absorption of fat and the orange II dye. This is attributed to the higher content of positively charged amine groups in the polymer. Cast into membrane, chitosan of higher degree of deacetylation showed a higher tensile strength and a higher elongation at break, probably due to the higher level of crystallinity.
authors.affiliation: Bioprocess Technology, Asian Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 4 Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand.
authors.forename: Trang Si
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Trung
authors.forename: Wah Wah
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Thein-Han
authors.forename: Nguyen Thi
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Qui
authors.forename: Chuen-How
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Willem F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Stevens
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000818:Animals; D001391:Azo Compounds; D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D033364:Decapoda / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D010539:Permeability; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D014867:Water; D048271:Chitosan; C014722:2-naphthol orange