ISSN: 2574-187X
Effect of Chemical Treatment on the Degree of Deacetylation of Chitosan
Chitosan wide range of application is highly dependent mainly on the presence of the reactive amino groups and its
degree of deacetylation (DDA) is one of the main parameters characterizing chitosan. Chitosan was produced from
deacetylation of chitin using 70% alkali concentration in an autoclave at120oC for 1 hour. The degree of deacetylation
(DDA) was determined using the acid-base titration method. A degree of deacetylation (DDA) of 70.67% was achieved
from the autoclave synthesized chitosan compared to the conventional synthesized chitosan using a lower alkali
concentration and temperature with a degree of deacetylation of 62.36%. In conclusion, the use of autoclave and
increasing alkali concentration increased the DDA and may possibly influence other functional and biological properties of chitosan.
Keywords:
chitosan; chitin; degree of deacetylation; amino group
