title: Effect of corn steep liquor (CSL) and cassava wastewater (CW) on chitin and chitosan production by Cunninghamella elegans and their physicochemical characteristics and cytotoxicity.
abstract: Microbiological processes were used for chitin and chitosan production with Cunninghamella elegans UCP/WFCC 0542 grown in different concentrations of two agro-industrial wastes, corn steep liquor (CSL) and cassava wastewater (CW) established using a 2² full factorial design. The polysaccharides were extracted by alkali-acid treatment and characterized by infrared spectroscopy, viscosity, thermal analysis, elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The cytotoxicity of chitosan was evaluated for signs of vascular change on the chorioallantoic membrane of chicken eggs. The highest biomass (9.93 g/L) was obtained in trial 3 (5% CW, 8% CSL), the greatest chitin and chitosan yields were 89.39 mg/g and 57.82 mg/g, respectively, and both were obtained in trial 2 (10% CW, 4% CSL). Chitin and chitosan showed a degree of deacetylation of 40.98% and 88.24%, and a crystalline index of 35.80% and 23.82%, respectively, and chitosan showed low molecular weight (LMW 5.2 × 10³ Da). Chitin and chitosan can be considered non-irritating, due to the fact they do not promote vascular change. It was demonstrated that CSL and CW are effective renewable agroindustrial alternative substrates for the production of chitin and chitosan.
authors.affiliation: Post-Graduate Program in Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife 50670420, PE, Brazil. quelberger@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Lúcia Raquel Ramos
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: Department of Tropical Medicine, Center of Health Sciences, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife 50670420, PE, Brazil. thayzastamford@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Thayza Christina Montenegro
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Stamford
authors.affiliation: Department of Tropical Medicine, Center of Health Sciences, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife 50670420, PE, Brazil. thayzastamford@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Thatiana Montenegro
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Stamford-Arnaud
authors.affiliation: Center of Biology Sciences, Department of Microbiology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife 52171900, PE, Brazil. lucianafranco@terra.com.br.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Oliveira Franco
authors.affiliation: Nucleus of Research in Environmental Science and Biotechnology, Catholic University of Pernambuco, Recife 50050590, PE, Brazil. elesbao@unicap.br.
authors.forename: Aline Elesbão
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: do Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba-UFPB, João Pessoa 58051-900, PB, Brazil. horacinnammc@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Horacinna M de M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Cavalcante
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba-UFPB, João Pessoa 58051-900, PB, Brazil. ruimacedo@ccs.ufpb.br.
authors.forename: Rui Oliveira
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Macedo
authors.affiliation: Nucleus of Research in Environmental Science and Biotechnology, Catholic University of Pernambuco, Recife 50050590, PE, Brazil. galba_takaki@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Galba Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: de Campos-Takaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000378:metabolism; D002686:Chitin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D003470:Culture Media; D020093:Cunninghamella / Q000378:metabolism*; D002365:Manihot / Q000737:chemistry*; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014783:Viscosity; D062065:Wastewater; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002686:Chitin; D048271:Chitosan; D003470:Culture Media; D062065:Wastewater