Background: Of recent, immense attention has been given to chitosan in the biomedical eld due to its valuable biochemical and physiological properties such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, non-immunogenicity, reactivity, solubility and non-toxicity. For instance, chitosan has exhibited distinguished bioactivity not limited to only antimicrobial activity but also promotion of wound healing and immune system augmentation in model animals. Therefore, chitosan has attracted application as a nano drug targeted delivery system. Traditionally, the chief source of chitosan is chitin from crab and shrimp shells obtained as waste products in the seafood industry. Chitin is also an important component of sh scales, insects and fungal cell walls, therefore, Uganda's edible mushrooms, Nile perch scales and banana weevils can be used as alternative sources of chitin and obviously chitosan. Thus, the aim of this study was to isolate and characterize chitosan from locally available material for potential use in the biomedical eld. Methods: Chitin was extracted from banana weevils, Nile perch scales and mushrooms powder by demineralization with 1.0M HCl solution, then deproteinization with 1.0M NaOH. Chitosan was prepared by treating chitin with 50% NaOH at 100°C for 8 hrs. Chitosan ash and moisture contents were determined gravimetrically while solubility was computed as percentage dry weight of suspended chitosan. FTIR was used to determine the DD while XRD was used to estimate the crystallinity of chitosan. Results: Ash and moisture contents ranged from 3.5 to 15% and 3.5 to 6.4% respectively while solubility level varied from 57 to 68%. FTIR spectra reveal high degree of similarity between locally isolated chitosan and commercial chitosan with DD ranging from 77.8 to 79.1%. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns exhibited peaks at 2θ values of 19.5° for both chitosan extracted from Mushrooms and banana weevils while chitosan from Nile perch scales registered 3 peaks at 2θ angles of 12.3°, 20.1° and 21.3° comparable to the established commercial chitosan (Sigma Aldrich) XRD pattern. Conclusion: Ash content, moisture content, DD, FTIR spectra and XRD pattern revealed that chitosan isolated from locally available materials has physicochemical properties comparable to conventional chitosan and therefore it can be used in the biomedical eld. Conventionally, the chief sources of chitin are crab and shrimp shells obtained as waste products in the seafood industry [10-11]. Chitin is also an important component of sh scales and cell walls of fungal cells; therefore, Uganda's edible mushrooms and Nile perch scales can be alternative sources of chitin and, obviously non nano-scale and nano-scale chitosan. Production of chitin and its derivatives from renewable resources such as shery wastes and fungi presents sustainability for the ever increasing demands of this polymer. Furthermore, antibiotic resistant bacteria are escalating in prevalence globally with consequential infections which are hard and costly to treat [12]. This is support...
Telluride's and Selenides were assessed whether it is appropriate for thermoelectric effects. Previous researches showed that researchers strived to progress the performance of telluride based materials in creating structures where the entire dimensions are reduced, such as nanowires or thin films. Seebeck and Peltier coefficient was developed by means of Telluride thermoelectric devices. Epitaxial growth methods such as molecular beam epitaxy and metal organic chemical vapor deposition are some of the frequent methods of acquiring telluride thin films. Thermoelectric nano thin films and nanostructured materials should have the properties of insulation so that it can be used as energy storage devices and thermo electric generators. Conduction of electricity is usually convoyed by reversible and irreversible effects, such as electrical resistance and thermal conduction which is used to, Peltier refrigerators, generating electricity, renewable energies and its applications. Telluride films can be used in thermoelectric applications; these thermoelectric materials are mainly rare metals such as (Bi), (Te), (Pb) and (Sb). Thermal conductivity, figure of merit is advantageous factor of these energy storage devices. Thermoelectric cooler, thermoelectric generators are the powerful sources which can be eligible due to the use of telluride thin films. The thermal conductivity performance, figure of merit and Seebeck and Peltier coefficients of diverse materials were conferred.
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