CHARACTERIZATION OF SOME FUNGAL CHITOSANS

Chitosan-like materials were extracted from five different fungal cells with NaOH and acetic acid, with the yields varying from 1.2 to 10.4% of the dry fungal cell weight. The degree of N-acetylation of the extracts measured by the colloidal titration method varied considerably depending on the individual species. By IR measurements and the Elson-Morgan method, four kinds of the extracts were characterized as chitosan while another one was not. The degree of N-acetylation and the Cu2+ adsorption capacity of the fungal chitosans were measured and compared with those of authentic samples with various degrees of N-acetylation, which were prepared by chemical treatment of authentic chitin and chitosan derived from Crustacea. The Cu2+ adsorption capacity of the fungal chitosans was higher than that of the authentic chitosan samples with similar degrees of N-acetylation and independent of the molecular weight of the chitosans from the various sources.