Current and Expected Trends for the Marine Chitin/Chitosan and Collagen Value Chains.

Chitin/chitosan and collagen are two of the most important bioactive compounds, with applications in the pharmaceutical, veterinary, nutraceutical, cosmetic, biomaterials, and other industries. When extracted from non-edible parts of fish and shellfish, by-catches, and invasive species, their use contributes to a more sustainable and circular economy. The present article reviews the scientific knowledge and publication trends along the marine chitin/chitosan and collagen value chains and assesses how researchers, industry players, and end-users can bridge the gap between scientific understanding and industrial applications. Overall, research on chitin/chitosan remains focused on the compound itself rather than its market applications. Still, chitin/chitosan use is expected to increase in food and biomedical applications, while that of collagen is expected to increase in biomedical, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and nutritional applications. Sustainable practices, such as the reuse of waste materials, contribute to strengthen both value chains; the identified weaknesses include the lack of studies considering market trends, social sustainability, and profitability, as well as insufficient examination of intellectual property rights. Government regulations, market demand, consumer preferences, technological advancements, environmental challenges, and legal frameworks play significant roles in shaping both value chains. Addressing these factors is crucial for seizing opportunities, fostering sustainability, complying with regulations, and maintaining competitiveness in these constantly evolving value chains.

Development of cost effective metal oxide semiconductor based gas sensor over flexible chitosan/PVP blended polymeric substrate.

In the present work, biodegradable and flexible chitosan/polyvinylpyrrolidone (CHP) polymeric substrate was fabricated by solvent casting method. This is a novel demonstration of the combination of natural polymer (chitosan) and synthetic polymer (PVP) for next-generation semiconductor device applications. The ZnO thin films were successfully synthesized on these polymeric substrates by facile drop-casting method for gas sensing applications. The hydrogen gas sensing properties of ZnO deposited on the polymeric substrate and SiO2 substrate show similar performance. The structural, morphological, optical, thermal, and tensile strength of the CHP substrate were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-visible spectroscopy, Derivative thermogravimetric analysis (DTG), and Universal testing machine (UTM), respectively. Our study suggests that the biodegradable CH/PVP flexible polymeric substrate provides a new way for the implementation of an eco-friendly green substrate in numerous electronic device applications.

Evaluation of several flocculants for flocculating microalgae.

Flocculation of microalgae with chitosan, polyacrylamide, Al2(SO4)3, NaOH and HNO3 was evaluated. Their flocculation efficiencies and optimal dosages were discussed. The effects of the flocculants on cells viability were also investigated and the cells were found to be intact during the flocculation process. Moreover, the effects of flocculants on the extractions were evaluated. Lipid content after flocculants treatments showed no significant differences. Carbohydrate content was lower but protein content was higher after NaOH treatment than those after other treatments. Furthermore, the five flocculated media maintained approximate growth yields to that of the fresh medium in microalgal cultivation, indicating the five flocculated media could be recycled, thereby reducing the cost of biodiesel production from microalgae. Finally, economic comparison of the flocculants was made and the cost of using HNO3, including flocculating cells and recycling medium, was found to be the lowest.

Chitosan beads as barriers to the transport of azo dye in soil column.

The development of chitosan-based materials as useful adsorbent polymeric matrices is an expanding field in the area of adsorption science. Although chitosan has been successfully used for the removal of dyes from aqueous solutions, no consideration is given to the removal of dyes from contaminated soils. Therefore this study focuses on the potential use of chitosan as an in situ remediation technology. The chitosan beads were used as barriers to the transport of a reactive dye (Reactive Black 5, RB5) in soil column experiments. Batch sorption experiments, kinetic and equilibrium, were performed to estimate the sorption behavior of both chitosan and soil. The chitosan beads were prepared in accordance with published literature and a synthetic soil was prepared by mixing quantities of sand, silt and clay. The synthetic soil was classified according to British Standards. Calcium chloride was used as tracer to define transport rates and other physical experimental parameters. Dye transport reaction parameters were determined by fitting dye breakthrough curves (BTCs) to the HYDRUS-1D version 4.xx software. Fourier Transform-Infra Red (FT-IR) spectroscopy was used to reveal the sorption mechanism. The study showed that chitosan exhibited a high sorption capacity (S(max)=238 mg/g) and pseudo-first sorption rate (k(1)=1.02 h(-1)) coupled with low swelling and increased retardation for the azo dye tested. Thus it has potential as a Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) for containment and remediation of contaminated sites.

A randomised controlled trial on the effectiveness of an advanced wound dressing used in Iran.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the wound healing rate and incidence of infection in wounds treated with either a bioactive dressing (containing hydrophilic mucopolysaccharide, chitosan) or conservative treatment (gauze). METHOD: Eighty-five patients with diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers or leg ulcers were randomised to receive either the bioactive study dressing (n=33 patients, 45 wounds) or the control dressing (n=52 patients, 53 wounds) for 21 days. Wound size, stage where appropriate and the presence of infection were recorded at each dressing change. Thirty-one of these 85 patients dropped out of the study during the three-month post-treatment follow-up, when wound size and grade were assessed on a monthly basis. Data were therefore analysed on 54 patients, of whom 32 (34 wounds) were in the treatment group and 22 (26 wounds) in the control group. RESULTS: In the control group, four pressure ulcers healed, but the remaining wounds all deteriorated and became infected, requiring antibiotics. In contrast, in the treatment group 29/34 wounds healed completely, and none became infected; the remaining five wounds healed during the follow-up period. The difference between the two groups in the number of wounds that healed was statistically significant (p<0.001), as was that for the number of healed pressure ulcers p<0.05. CONCLUSION: Use of a moist bioactive wound dressing significantly increased the healing rate when compared with the traditional dressings used in the participating hospitals. This will in turn bring significant cost savings.