ABSTRACT
Chitosan is a modified natural carbohydrate polymer prepared by the partial Ndeacetylation of chitin. Chitin is an amino polysaccharides (combination of sugar and protein) an abundantly available natural biopolymer found in the exoskeletons of crustacean like shrimp, crabs, lobster, and other shellfish [1-3]. Chitosan is also found in some microorganisms like yeast and fungi. The primary unit in the chitin polymer is 2-deoxy-2-(acetylamino) glucose. These units are combined by ß-(1, 4) glucosidic linkages forming a long chain linear polymer. The degree of hydrolysis (deacetylation) has a significant effect on the solubility and rheological properties of the polymer. The structure of chitosan is shown in scheme 1.
