title: Chitosan, the marine functional food, is a potent adsorbent of humic acid.
abstract: Chitosan is prepared by the deacetylation of chitin, the second-most abundant biopolymer in nature, and has applicability in the removal of dyes, heavy metals and radioactive waste for pollution control. In weight-reduction remedies, chitosan is used to form hydrogels with lipids and to depress the intestinal absorption of lipids. In this study, an experimental method was implemented to simulate the effect of chitosan on the adsorption of humic acid in the gastrointestinal tract. The adsorption capacity of chitosan was measured by its adsorption isotherm and analyzed using the Langmuir equation. The results showed that 3.3 grams of humic acid was absorbed by 1 gram of chitosan. The adsorption capacity of chitosan was much greater than that of chitin, diethylaminoethyl-cellulose or activated charcoal. Cellulose and carboxymethyl-cellulose, a cellulose derivative with a negative charge, could not adsorb humic acid in the gastrointestinal tract. This result suggests that chitosan entraps humic acid because of its positive charge.
authors.affiliation: Environment and Biotechnology Department, Refining and Manufacturing Research Institute, CPC Corporation, Chia-Yi 60051, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jeen-Kuan
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, 84 Gung-Juan Road, Taishan, New Taipei 24301, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chao-Hsien
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Kweishan, Tao-Yuan 24301, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Lian-Chen
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, 84 Gung-Juan Road, Taishan, New Taipei 24301, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tzong-Horng
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Liou
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Kweishan, Tao-Yuan 33302, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Rui
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, 84 Gung-Juan Road, Taishan, New Taipei 24301, Taiwan.|Graduate School of Biochemical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, 84 Gung-Juan Road, Taishan, New Taipei 24301, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chao-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D055951:Functional Food; D006812:Humic Substances; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
chemical_list: D006812:Humic Substances; D048271:Chitosan