Identifier

etd-07092006-125400

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Department

School of Nutrition and Food Sciences

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Currently, depolymerization and decolorization of chitosan are achieved by chemical or enzymatic methods which are time consuming and expensive. Ozone has been shown to be able to degrade macromolecules and remove pigments due to its high oxidation potential. In this study, the effects of ozone treatment on depolymerization and decolorization of chitosan were investigated. Crawfish chitosan was ozonated in water and acetic acid solution for 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes at room temperature with 12wt% gas. For the determination of viscosity–average Molecular weight of chitosan, an ubbelohde viscometer was used to measure the intrinsic viscosity, and the Mark-Houwink equation was used to calculate molecular weight. Color of ozone-treated chitosan was analyzed using a Minolta spectrophotometer. The degree of deacetylation was determined by a colloid titration method. Molecular weight of ozone-treated chitosan in acetic acid solution decreased appreciably as the ozone treatment time increased. Ozonation for 20 minutes reduced the molecular weight of the chitosan by 92% (104 KDa) compared to the untreated chitosan (1333 KDa) with a decrease in viscosity of the chitosan solution. Ozonation for 5 min markedly increased the whiteness of chitosan; however, further ozonation resulted in development of yellowness. In case of the ozonation in water, there were no significant differences of the molecular weight and color between ozone-treated chitosans. However, results showed that ozone treatment of chitosan in both water and acetic acid solution was not effective in removing acetyl groups (deacetylation) in chitosan molecules. This study showed that ozone can be used to modify molecular weight and remove pigments of chitosan without chemical use in a shorter time with less cost.

Date

2006

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Joan M. King

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.3833

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