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Isolation and characterization of chitin from bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Juraj Majtán1, Katarína Bíliková, Oskar Markovic
1Department of Molecular Apidology, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 21, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia.
Abstract:
Insect chitin possessing shell-like structure was prepared from the bumblebee corpses by a consequent treatment with 1M HCl and 1M NaOH. The bumblebee chitin was compared with crustacean (shrimp) chitin by using elemental analysis, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and solid-state (13)C cross-polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CP/MAS)-NMR spectroscopy and confocal microscopy. Both chitins (bumblebee and shrimp) exhibited identical spectra, while the bumblebee chitin had a 5% lower degree of acetylation and was characterized by a fine membrane texture.
