ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on various applications of chitosan, as well as current research on its physicochemical properties. Application areas that are covered include water treatment, pharmaceutics, biotechnology, food processing, and membranes. Chitosan is a polysaccharide obtained by deacetylating chitin, which is the major constituent of the exoskeleton of crustaceous water animals. Chitosan is a collective name given to a group of polymers deacetylated from chitin. The difference between chitin and chitosan lies in the degree of deacetylation. Water-soluble chitosans, dissolved in the absence of acids, are frequently required when acids are undesirable substances in products, such as cosmetics, medicines, and foods. Chitosan is an excellent coagulating agent and flocculant due to the high density of amino groups on the polymer chain that can interact with negatively charged substances, such as proteins, solids, and dyes. The degree of deacetylation is one of the more important chemical characteristics of chitosan.
