Analyses of infrared amide bands of chitin

Infrared spectra of chitin isolated from various biological species were measured by Fourier transform technique. The recorded spectra were decomposed into component bands within 1500--1750 cm-1 and 3000--3500 cm-1 spectral regions; it allowed us to establish the precise position of amide I and amids II bands. It was shown that the positions of amide I and amide II bands are independent of the source from which chitin was isolated.