what is the chemical composition of chitin
Answers
Chitin is a modified polysaccharide that contains nitrogen; it is synthesized from units of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (to be precise, 2-(acetylamino)-2-deoxy-D-glucose). These units form covalent β-(1→4)-linkages (like the linkages between glucose units forming cellulose).
Chitosan is chemically modified Chitin.
Primarily made from the waste material from shrimp farms.
Chitin is a polysaccharide made of Beta glucose monomers,
and every alternate beta glucose is rotated 180 degrees
and joined by a beta glycosidic bond in a condensation reaction.
Some of the hydroxyl groups on the monomers are replaced with nitrogen containing acetlyamine groups.
Parallel chains of beta glucose monomers are joined by hydrogen cross linking to create micro fibrils.
Its found in the exoskeleton on insects and the cell wall of fungi. It is light weight, strong and waterproof
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