Advances In Marine Chitin And Chitosan

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Advances in Marine Chitin and Chitosan" that was published in Marine Drugs

As a result of our call in 2014 for submissions to a Special Issue, Advances in Marine Chitin and Chitosan in Marine Drugs, we are now pleased to tell you that this issue has been published. Twenty high class papers were included in this issue, which we now plan to publish as a book. In addition we now seek to publish a further Special Issue, Advances in Marine Chitin and Chitosan II, 2017, in Marine Drugs. As before, we plan to produce a strong, very exciting issue that will encompass breakthroughs in high value, scientific and industrial chitin and chitosan research. Despite significant advances in chitin and chitosan research since the 1970s, current overviews in recent publications involving chitin and chitosan research advances need reporting.

Functional advanced biopolymers have received far less attention than renewable biomass (cellulose, rubber, etc.) used for energy production. Among the most advanced biopolymers known is chitosan. The term chitosan refers to a family of polysaccharides obtained by partial de-N-acetylation from chitin, one of the most abundant renewable resources in the biosphere. Chitosan has been firmly established as having unique material properties as well as biological activities. Either in its native form or as a chemical derivative, chitosan is amenable to being processed—typically under mild conditions—into soft materials such as hydrogels, colloidal nanoparticles, or nanofibers. Given its multiple biological properties, including biodegradability, antimicrobial effects, gene transfectability, and metal adsorption—to name but a few—chitosan is regarded as a widely versatile building block in various sectors (e.g., agriculture, food, cosmetics, pharmacy) and for various applications (medical devices, metal adsorption, catalysis, etc.). This Special Issue presents an updated account addressing some of the major applications, including also chemical and enzymatic modifications of oligos and polymers. A better understanding of the properties that underpin the use of chitin and chitosan in different fields is key for boosting their more extensive industrial utilization, as well as to aid regulatory agencies in establishing specifications, guidelines, and standards for the different types of products and applications.

A natural long-chain polymer, chitin is the main component of the cell walls of fungi, the exoskeletons of arthropods (including crustaceans and insects), the radulas of mollusks, and the beaks and internal shells of cephalopods. However, marine crustacean shells are the primary sources of the chitin derivative chitosan. Chitin and chitosan are use

In the past few decades, marine organisms, including macroalgae and microalgae, have been extensively explored as potential sources of bioactive compounds with applications in various fields such as pharmaceuticals, biomedicine, cosmetics and foodstuffs. Marine polysaccharides, such as chitin/chitosan, ulvans, fucans, alginates and carrageenans, are biochemical compounds with several important properties such as anticoagulant and/or antithrombotic, immunomodulatory, antitumor, antilipidemic, hypoglycemic, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Due to their biocompatible, nontoxic and biodegradable nature, marine polysaccharides offer a better alternative to be used in advancement of the biomedical field. This book focuses on marine polysaccharides; their derivatives, blends, composites and hydrogels; and their multifaceted applications in various fields. The book also discusses the various aspects of marine polysaccharides from the point of view of chemistry and related applications. It is an important reference for marine biotechnologists, natural product scientists, students, researchers and academicians working in the area of materials science, marine science and polymer chemistry.

In 2019, we sent out a call for submissions to a Special Issue of Marine Drugs entitled “Marine Chitin 2019”, and we are pleased that this issue has now been published. Over 16 high-impact papers were included in this issue, which we now plan to publish as a book. In addition, we now seek to publish a further Special Issue of Marine Drugs, “Marine Chitin 2020–2021”. As before, we plan to produce an authoritative and exciting issue that will encompass breakthroughs in scientific and industrial chitin and chitosan research. Significant advances in chitin and chitosan research have been made since the 1970s, and current overviews in recent publications involving chitin and chitosan research advances are in need of an update.

In 2019, we sent out a call for submissions to a Special Issue of Marine Drugs entitled “Marine Chitin 2019”, and we are pleased that this issue has now been published. Over 16 high-impact papers were included in this issue, which we now plan to publish as a book. In addition, we now seek to publish a further Special Issue of Marine Drugs, “Marine Chitin 2020-2021”. As before, we plan to produce an authoritative and exciting issue that will encompass breakthroughs in scientific and industrial chitin and chitosan research. Significant advances in chitin and chitosan research have been made since the 1970s, and current overviews in recent publications involving chitin and chitosan research advances are in need of an update.