Chitin

Chitin presents fundamental information on chitin. The enzymatic processes controlling the synthesis and the breakdown of chitin are discussed, along with its role in the fundamental mechanism of growth, differentiation, nutrition, and movement of a large number of species. This text consists of seven chapters and begins with an overview of chitin research and the rapidly increasing interest in chitin chemistry and applications. The discussion then moves to the enzymatic synthesis of chitin and chitosan and inhibition of chitin biosynthesis, along with the physicochemical characteristics of chitin and chitosan. The chapters that follow focus on chitin chemistry, chitinases and related enzymes, applications of chitin in chromatography, and industrial production and applications of chitin. The final chapter is devoted to medical applications of chitin and its oligomers, from being artificial kidney membranes and antigens against parasites to blood anticoagulants, biodegradable pharmaceutical carriers, wound healing accelerators, and microbiological media. This book will be of interest to biochemists, physicists, industrialists, botanists, entomologists, physiologists, and other scientists in a variety of disciplines, as well as graduate students wishing to undertake research about chitin.

The second edition of Chitin underscores the important factors for standardizing chitin processing and characterization. It captures the essential interplay between chitin's assets and limitations as a biomaterial, placing the past promises of chitin in perspective, addressing its present realities and offering insight into what is required to realize chitin's destiny (including its derivative, chitosan) as a biomaterial of the twenty-first century. This book is an ideal guide for both industrialists and researchers with a vested interest in commercializing chitin. An update on the research since 2001 as it pertains to the biomaterials and biomedical applications of chitin and chitosan An expanded discussion on positioning chitin and chitosan for biomedical applications Presents regulatory aspects of chitin and chitosan

The Handbook of Chitin and Chitosan: Preparation and Properties, Volume One, is a must-read for polymer chemists, physicists and engineers interested in the development of ecofriendly micro and nanostructured functional materials based on chitin and their various applications. The book addresses the entirety of working with these materials, from their isolation, preparation and properties, through composites, nanomaterials, manufacturing and characterizations. This is the first of three volumes in a series that contains the latest on the major applications of chitin and chitosan based IPN’s, blends, gels, composites and nanocomposites, including environmental remediation, biomedical applications and smart material applications. Provides a comprehensive overview of Chitin and Chitosan materials, from their synthesis and nanomaterials, to their manufacture and applications Volume One focuses on the synthesis and properties of Chitosan and/or Chitin Includes contributions from leading researchers across the globe and from industry, academia, government and private research institutions Highlights current status and future opportunities

Offers a comprehensive guide to the isolation, properties and applications of chitin and chitosan Chitin and Chitosan: Properties and Applications presents a comprehensive review of the isolation, properties and applications of chitin and chitosan. These promising biomaterials have the potential to be broadly applied and there is a growing market for these biopolymers in areas such as medical and pharmaceutical, packaging, agricultural, textile, cosmetics, nanoparticles and more. The authors – noted experts in the field – explore the isolation, characterization and the physical and chemical properties of chitin and chitosan. They also examine their properties such as hydrogels, immunomodulation and biotechnology, antimicrobial activity and chemical enzymatic modifications. The book offers an analysis of the myriad medical and pharmaceutical applications as well as a review of applications in other areas. In addition, the authors discuss regulations, markets and perspectives for the use of chitin and chitosan. This important book: Offers a thorough review of the isolation, properties and applications of chitin and chitosan. Contains information on the wide-ranging applications and growing market demand for chitin and chitosan Includes a discussion of current regulations and the outlook for the future Written for Researchers in academia and industry who are working in the fields of chitin and chitosan, Chitin and Chitosan: Properties and Applications offers a review of these promising biomaterials that have great potential due to their material properties and biological functionalities.

The Handbook of Chitin and Chitosan: Chitin and Chitosan Based Polymer Materials for Various Applications, Volume Three, is a must-read for polymer chemists, physicists and engineers interested in the development of ecofriendly micro and nanostructured functional materials based on chitin and their various applications. The book addresses their isolation, preparation and properties and their composites, nanomaterials, manufacturing and characterizations. This is the third of three volumes in a series that contains the latest on the major applications of chitin and chitosan based IPN’s, blends, gels, composites and nanocomposites, including environmental remediation, biomedical applications and smart material applications. Provides a comprehensive overview of Chitin and Chitosan materials, from their synthesis and nanomaterials, to their manufacture and applications Volume Three focuses on the applications of Chitin and Chitosan Includes contributions from leading researchers across the globe and from industry, academia, government and private research institutions Highlights current status and future opportunities

Exegi monumentum ael'e perennius. The monument I have built will last longer than bronze. Horace My previous book, "Chitin", (1977) was listed by the publisher, as a "key research book", among the most requested books by libraries. It received favorable comments from. each of the journals which reviewed it, Science, 198, 28 Oct. 1977, Physiological Entomology, 2(4), Dec. 1977, The Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology Journal, April 1978, The Quarterly Review of Biology, 53:361, 1978, Oceanographic Abstracts, 15:182, 1979, Annales de Zoologie-Ecologie Animale, 11:127, 1979, and Enzyme & Microbial Technology, 2, 1980. The variety of these journals testifies to the interdisci plinary character of chitin studies. "Chitin" has really been a landmark, to use the definition given by Science, because it stimulated interest in the less known polysaccharides and in modified chitins, besides chitin itself, to the point that three International Conferences on Chitin / Chitosan were convened (Boston, U. S. A. 1977, Sapporo, Japan 1982 and Senigallia, Italy 1985). In convening the 3rd International Conference on Chitin / Chitosan (1-4 April 1985), one of the main objectives was the preparation of the present book. While the proceedings of the previous two Conferences were very valuable, they did not appear in any book catalogs and this severely Ii mi ted their distribution.

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.

So far little has been discussed on the groundwork necessary for chitin to claim its rightful place as a biomaterial. This book aims to describe the factors necessary to standardize chitin processing and characterization. It attempts to capture the essential interplay between chitin's assets and its limitations as a biomaterial, placing the past promises of chitin in perspective, addressing its present realities and limitations as a biomaterial and offering an insight into what is required for chitin, and its derivative chitosan, to fulfil its potential as a biomaterial of the 21st Century. The ongoing search for alternative and better ways to treat medical problems is filled with challenges and opportunities. When replacing body parts with artificial substitutes, state-of-the art technology developments such as Tissue Engineering are fuelling the quest for better biomaterials that can meet a myriad of challenges. Central to this goal is the potential for the utilization of materials from nature. Amongst the possible candidates, chitin has been poised to be one such natural material which could be the answer to a variety of needs in the biomedical field. According to researchers, chitin possesses capabilities as a wound dressing, in bone substitutes and in drug delivery carriers, abilities which have evoked great enthusiasm. However this excitement is accompanied by confusion and lack of consensus, and this book also attempts to address these issues.