Chitin purification from shrimp wastes by microbial deproteination and decalcification

Abstract

Chitin was purified from Penaeus monodon and Crangon crangon shells using a two-stage fermentation process with anaerobic deproteination followed by decalcification through homofermentative lactic acid fermentation. Deproteinating enrichment cultures from sewage sludge and ground meat (GM) were used with a proteolytic activity of 59 and 61 mg N l(-1) h(-1) with dried and 26 and 35 mg N l(-1) h(-1) with wet P. monodon shells. With 100 g wet cells of proteolytic bacteria per liter, protein removal was obtained in 42 h. An anaerobic spore-forming bacterium HP1 was isolated from enrichment GM. Its proteolytic activity was 76 U ml(-1) compared to 44 U ml(-1) of the consortium. Glucose was fermented with Lactobacillus casei MRS1 to lactic acid. At a pH of 3.6, calcium carbonate of the shells was solubilised. After deproteination and decalcification of P. monodon or C. crangon shells, the protein content was 5.8% or 6.7%, and the calcium content was 0.3% or 0.4%, respectively. The viscosity of the chitin from P. monodon and C. crangon was 45 and 135 mPa s, respectively, whereas purchased crab shell chitin (practical grade) had a viscosity of 21 mPa s, indicating a higher quality of biologically purified chitin.

A Simple One‐Pot Dehydration Process to Convert N‐acetyl‐D‐glucosamine into a Nitrogen‐Containing Compound, 3‐acetamido‐5‐acetylfuran

“…It is also found in the cell walls of fungi and insects. [5] Chitin is produced on a large scale annually from a range of sources, [6] and is the second most abundant biopolymer after cellulose. It is readily available, nontoxic and environmentally benign.…”

Chitin Amendment Increases Soil Suppressiveness toward Plant Pathogens and Modulates the Actinobacterial and Oxalobacteraceal Communities in an Experimental Agricultural Field

“…Specifically, the soil was supplemented with 1.8% of shrimp waste chitin (20 tons/ha) calculated over the topsoil (20 cm). Prior to the amendment, the shrimp waste was disinfected overnight by treatment with NaOH and HCl according to a previously described protocol (24,25). Crops were rotated over the years, as follows: wheat prior to chitin amendment (2006) Soil samples for soil chemistry and suppressiveness testing were taken regularly over the time of the experiment.…”

Production of Glucosamine Hydrochloride from Crustacean Shell

“…Nicaragua produces thousands of tons of crustaceans such as shrimps and prawns annually [11] and the waste shells, the raw material to produce chitin constitute approximately 40%-50% of the total weight [12]. Currently, the wastes from seafood factory operations are available in large quantities.…”