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Preparation of Expanded Chitin Foams and their Use in the Removal of Aqueous Copper
Published on: February 27, 2021
Critical insights into coleopteran insect side-streams derived chitin and chitosan: extraction chemistry, structural
Divya Karthick Rajan1, Durairaj Karthick Rajan1, Jayakumar Rajarajeswaran2
1Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Edible coleopteran insects are an important source for sustainable protein and generating chitin as a significant waste (exuviae, cuticle residues, and frass), which can be valorized into value-added biopolymers. These side-streams can be diverted for chitin and chitosan production due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability in biomaterial applications which gained attention in recent times. Therefore, this review evaluates various types of chitin and chitosan extractions and their structural characterization suitable for industrial applications. The nutritional and bioactive functionalities of chitin as derived from coleoptera insect side-streams were critically discussed. Furthermore, it also distinguishes the presence of α-, β-, and γ-chitin polymorphic forms exhibited in the coleopterans order with recent research gaps was also discussed herein. Currently, there is no literature review that describes the roles of coleopteran side-streams derived chitin and chitosan. Hence, this review not only underscores the potential for chitin production from coleopteran side-streams but also outlines critical bottlenecks that warrant further investigation in biopolymer chemistry. Moreover, it provides comprehensive recommendations to facilitate the scale-up of chitin and chitosan derived from coleopteran side-streams as an added advantage for new business models.
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