Extraction of Chitosan from Parapenaeus longirostris Shells and Identification of Functional Groups Using FT-IR Spectroscopy

Abstract

Marine waste exploitation represents a promising source of natural compounds with significant economic and environmental value. Among these compounds, chitosan, derived from chitin, is abundant in the outer shells of crustaceans and is characterized by physicochemical and biological properties that make it suitable for a wide range of applications.

 This study focused on the extraction of chitosan from the shells of Parapenaeus longirostris collected from the coast of Tartous city during the summer and winter of 2024. The extraction process involved a sequence of treatments, including demineralization, deproteinization, decolorization, followed by a deacetylation step to convert chitin into chitosan.

 The results demonstrated complete solubility (100%) of the extracted chitosan in 1% glacial acetic acid, along with a low inorganic matter content (0.03–0.97%) and a high organic matter content (99.97–99.03%). Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy analysis confirmed that the functional groups present in the extracted chitosan samples closely matched those of standard chitosan spectra, indicating the successful extraction and accuracy of the applied methodology.

 These findings highlight the potential of crustacean shell waste as a low-cost and environmentally friendly source for chitosan production, offering promising prospects for its application in medical and pharmaceutical fields, such as tissue engineering and drug delivery, as well as in various other industries.