Enhancing Plasma-Induced Deacetylation of Chitin for Efficient Chitosan Production

This project investigates the effect of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment on chitin’s structural properties by quantifying changes in the degree of acetylation (DA). Chitin (C8H13O5N), derived from crustacean shells, is a strong structural polymer, while its deacetylated form, chitosan (C11H11NO4), has biomedical applications due to its solubility and antimicrobial properties. Its biological importance is due to its salient characteristics including biocompatibility and biodegradability as it does not cause adverse reactions when used in biological systems. It breaks down in the body without leaving harmful residues. It possesses natural antimicrobial properties inhibiting bacterial and fungi growth. In addition, chitosan can react with cell membranes and can enhance cell adhesion. Due to these salient features chitosan is often used in wound dressings and bandages to promote regeneration. It is also being used to create drug delivery systems. It is also marked as a dietary supplement for weight loss. Recently, chitosan has been used as a potential agent for drug delivery to cancer cells.

Converting chitin to chitosan is not an environmentally friendly process as the conversion process typically requires large amounts of NaOH and heat, making it inefficient. This study explores alternative methods for this conversion. In this study plasma treatment for the conversion process is being investigated as a non-chemical alternative. Chitin samples are exposed to helium DBD plasma (5-8 kV, 30-40 kHz) under varying conditions (flow rate, voltage, torch distance) and analyzed via UV-IR absorbance spectroscopy and titration to determine DA. Preliminary results show a moderate DA reduction after 2 minutes of plasma exposure, with a correlation to chitin concentration, signifying that there is chitosan formed through plasma exposure to chitin. A parametric investigation of the conversion process under plasma exposure is currently underway, and new results will be presented to highlight the superiority of plasma treatment.