A Simple and Effective Method to Extract Chitosan from Crustacean Shell Waste

ABSTRACT

A modified method to extract chitosan from crustacean shell waste is presented. Separate steps for deproteinization, decolorization, and deacetylation were replaced with single-step steeping in an alkali solution for 24 h. This method resulted in 33.26%, 11.39%, and 10.15% of chitosan yield, respectively from whiteleg shrimp, blueswimming crab and giant freshwater prawns whilepreserving physicochemical properties, which was evident by FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDS, ash, viscosity, colour, and antioxidant values. A comparison with the conventional heating method shows 8.10% chemical and 13% energy savings and comparative simplicity of the modified method showing potential to be executed at the industrial level.

KEYWORDS:

• Chitosan
• commercial shellfish waste
• extraction
• modified method

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10498850.2023.2228793.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the [AHEAD operations] under Grant [AHEAD/DOR-80/AQF/WUSL].