ABSTRACT
This chapter describes environmentally and ecologically friendly uses of chitin; chitosan, and their derivatives. Chitin and chitosan are fertilized into farming soils, and the soil microbial flora are improved. Chitinase and its isoforms are distributed widely in tissues, organs, and body fluids of plants, animals, microorganisms, and insects. Orally administered chitin and chitosan are digested by chitinase and chitosanase, which are secreted from intestinal bacteria. Chitin and chitosan are environmentally and ecologically active polymers. Chitin and chitosan are produced biologically on the earth at an estimated rate of one hundred billion tons every year. The depolymerized chitin and chitosan stimulate the induction of biological defense enzymes in plants. Chitin and chitosan are neither medicines, foods, feeds, fertilizers, insecticides, nor fungicides. As described, they are ecologically and environmentally bioactive natural polysaccharides. The damaged leg is regenerated with newly synthesized chitin to give a regenerated leg stronger than the old one.
