Abstract
The chitin structures of two common European species belonging to Insecta (Melolontha melolontha) and Crustacea (Oniscus asellus) were isolated. The same procedure is followed for chitin isolations for both the species. First, HCl was used for removing of minerals in the organisms, and then, the protein structure was removed by using NaOH. Chitins obtained from these two species were characterized physicochemically. Physicochemical properties of chitins isolated from the insect and the crustacean were compared to each other. The chitin content for dry weights of M. melolontha and O. asellus were recorded as 13–14 and 6–7 %, respectively. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction analysis were found to be more or less similar. The surface morphologies of chitins were examined via environmental scanning electron microscopy and nanofibers, and pore structures were observed. While the chitin nanofibers of O. asellus were adherent to each other, nanofibers of M. melolontha were non-adherent. On the other hand, the number of pores was much higher in the chitin from M. melolontha than in the chitin from O. asellus. Looking at the elemental analysis results, the M. melolontha chitin was found to be more pure than the O. asellus chitin. For this reason, M. melolontha has been considered more attractive source for chitin than O. asellus.
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00435-014-0227-6/MediaObjects/435_2014_227_Fig1_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00435-014-0227-6/MediaObjects/435_2014_227_Fig2_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00435-014-0227-6/MediaObjects/435_2014_227_Fig3_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00435-014-0227-6/MediaObjects/435_2014_227_Fig4_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs00435-014-0227-6/MediaObjects/435_2014_227_Fig5_HTML.gif)
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Acosta N, Jiménez C, Borau V, Heras A (1993) Extraction and characterization of chitin from crustaceans. Biomass Bioenergy 5:145–153
Al Sagheer FA, Al Sughayer MA, Muslim S, Elsabee MZ (2009) Extraction and characterization of chitin and chitosan from marine sources in Arabian Gulf. Carbohydr Polym 77:410–419
Aranaz I, Mengibar M, Harris R, Panos I, Miralles B, Acosta N, Galed G, Heras A (2009) Functional characterization of chitin and chitosan. Curr Chem Biol 3:203–230
Bo M, Bavestrello G, Kurek D, Paasch S, Brunner E, Born R, Galli R, Stelling AL, Sivkov VN, Petrova OV, Vyalikh D, Kummer K, Molodtsov SL, Nowak D, Nowak J, Ehrlich H (2012) Isolation and identification of chitin in the black coral Parantipatheslarix (Anthozoa: Cnidaria). Int J Mol Sci 51:129–137
Durkin CA, Mock T, Armbrust EV (2009) Chitin in diatoms and its association with the cell wall. Eukaryot Cell 8:1038–1050
Focher B, Naggi A, Torri G, Cosani A, Terbojevich M (1992a) Chitosans from Euphausia superba. 2: characterization of solid state structure. Carbohydr Polym 18:43–49
Focher B, Naggi A, Torri G, Cosani A, Terbojevich M (1992b) Structural differences between chitin polymorphs and their precipitates from solutions evidence from CP-MAS 13C-NMR, FT-IR and FT-Raman spectroscopy. Carbohydr Polym 17:97–102
Fraval A (1998) “HYPP Zoology” (On-line). http://www.inra.fr/Internet/Produits/HYPPZ/RAVAGEUR/6melmel.htm. Accessed 15 April 2001
Gardner KH, Blackwell J (1975) Refinement of the structure of β-chitin. Biopolymers 14:1581–1595
Gonil P, Sajomsang W (2012) Applications of magnetic resonance spectroscopy to chitin from insect cuticles. Int J Biol Macromol 51(4):514–522
Ifuku S, Nogi M, Abe K, Yoshioka M, Morimoto M, Saimoto H, Yano H (2009) Preparation of chitin nanofibers with a uniform width as α-chitin from crab shells. Biomacromolecules 10:1584–1588
Ifuku S, Nogi M, Yoshioka M, Morimoto M, Yano H, Saimoto H (2010) Fibrillation of dried chitin into 10–20 nm nanofibers by a simple method under acidic conditions. Carbohydr Polym 81:134–139
Ifuku S, Nogi M, Yoshioka M, Morimoto M, Saimoto H, Yano H (2011a) Simple preparation method of chitin nanofibers with a uniform width of 10 to 20 nm from prawn shell under the neutral conditions. Carbohydr Polym 84:762–764
Ifuku S, Nomura R, Morimoto M, Saimoto H (2011b) Preparation of chitin nano fibers from mushrooms. Materials 4:1417–1425
Jang MK, Kong BG, Jeong YI, Lee CH, Nah JW (2004) Physicochemical characterization of α-chitin, β-chitin and γ-chitin separated from natural resources. J Polym Sci, Part A: Polym Chem 42:3423–3432
Juárez-de La Rosa BA, Quintana P, Ardisson PL, Yáñez-Limón JM, Alvarado-Gil JJ (2012) Effects of thermal treatments on the structure of two black coral species chitinous exoskeleton. J Mater Sci 47:990–998
Kaya M, Tozak KÖ, Baran T, Sezen G, Sargin I (2013) Natural porous and nano fiber chitin structure from Gammarus argaeus (Gammaridae Crustacea). EXCLI J 12:503–510
Kaya M, Baran T, Mentes A, Sezen G, Asaroglu M, Tozak KO (2014) Extraction and characterization of α-chitin and chitosan from six different aquatic invertebrates. Food Biophys (Accepted)
Kittur F, Prashanth H, Sankar K, Tharanathan R (2002) Characterization of chitin, chitosan and their carboxymethyl derivatives by differential scanning calorimetry. Carbohydr Polym 49:185–193
Liu S, Sun J, Yu L, Zhang C, Bi J, Zhu F, Qu M, Jiang C, Yang Q (2012) 9 Extraction and characterization of chitin from the beetle Holotrichia parallela motschulsky. Molecules 17:4604–4611
Majtan J, Bilikova K, Markovic O, Grof J, Kogan G, Simuth J (2007) Isolation and characterization of chitin from bumblebee (Bombus terrestris). Int J Biol Macromol 40:237–241
McKenzie G (1997) “Woodlice Online” (On-line). http://www.porcellio.scaber.org/woodlice/expback.htm. Accessed 31 Jan 2013
Muzzarelli RAA (2011) Biomedical exploitation of chitin and chitosan via mechano-chemical disassembly, electrospinning, dissolution in imidazolium ionic liquids, and supercritical drying. Mar Drugs 9:1510–1533
Muzzarelli RAA, Morganti P, Morganti G, Palombo P, Palombo M, Biagini G, Mattioli-Belmonte M, Giantomassi F, Orlandi F, Muzzarelli C (2007) Chitin nanofibrils with chitosan glycolate composites as wound medicaments. Carbohydr Polym 70:274–284
Nemtsev SV, Zueva OY, Khismatullin MR, Albulov AI, Varlamov VP (2004) Isolation of chitin and chitosan from honeybees. Appl Biochem Micro 40:39–43
Park BK, Kim MM (2010) Applications of chitin and its derivatives in biological medicine. Int J Mol Sci 11:5152–5164
Paulino AT, Siminato JI, Carcia JC, Nozaki J (2006) Characterization of chitosan and chitin produced from silkworm chrysalides. Carbohydr Polym 64:98–103
Rinaudo M (2006) Chitin and chitosan: Properties and applications. Prog Polym Sci 3:603–632
Sajomsang W, Gonil P (2010) Preparation and characterization of α-chitin from cicada sloughs. Mater Sci Eng, C 30:357–363
Synowiecki J, Al-Khateeb NA (2003) Production, properties, and some new applications of chitin and its derivatives. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 43:145–171
Wang Y, Chang Y, Yu L, Zhang C, Xu X, Xue Y, Li Z, Xue C (2013) Crystalline structure and thermal property characterization of chitin from Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba). Carbohydr Polym 92:90–97
Xu J, Mccarthy SP, Gross RA, Kaplan DL (1996) Chitosan film acylation and effects on biodegradability. Macromolecules 29:3436–3440
Yen MT, Yang JH, Mau JL (2009) Physicochemical characterization of chitin and chitosan from crab shells. Carbohyd Polym 75:15–21
Zhang M, Haga A, Sekigushi H, Hirano S (2000) Structure of insect chitin isolated from beetle larva cuticle and silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupa exuvia. Int J Biol Macromol 27:99–105
Zhao Y, Park RD, Muzzarelli RAA (2010) Chitin deacetylases: properties and applications. Mar Drugs 8:24–46
Zimmer M (2002) Nutrition in terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea): an evolutionary-ecological approach. Biol Rev 77:455–493
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by A. Schmidt-Rhaesa.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kaya, M., Baublys, V., Can, E. et al. Comparison of physicochemical properties of chitins isolated from an insect (Melolontha melolontha) and a crustacean species (Oniscus asellus). Zoomorphology 133, 285–293 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-014-0227-6
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-014-0227-6