Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.7
4.1
Journals
Polysaccharides
Special Issues
Chitin and Chitosan: Preparation, Purification, Characterization, and Applications
share announcement

Chitin and Chitosan: Preparation, Purification, Characterization, and Applications

A special issue of Polysaccharides (ISSN 2673-4176).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 1601

Editor

Dr. Azizur Rahman

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Toronto at UTE, Toronto, ON M5G 0C6, Canada
Interests: marine collagen; marine chitin; chitosan; marine proteins; marine polysaccharides; drug discovery; biomineralization; biomaterials; marine invertebrates; corals; marine algae; marine fish proteomics; marine biotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chitin and chitosan are among the most abundant and versatile natural biopolymers, garnering increasing scientific and industrial interest due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility, antimicrobial activity, and tunable physicochemical properties. Derived primarily from marine biomass, fungal sources, and insect exoskeletons, these polysaccharides are gaining prominence as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based materials and as key components in circular bioeconomy initiatives.

This Special Issue, “Chitin and Chitosan: Preparation, Purification, Characterization, and Applications”, aims to highlight recent advances in the extraction, purification, structural characterization, functional modification, and emerging applications of chitin- and chitosan-based materials. We welcome contributions focusing on green and innovative processing technologies, including enzymatic extraction, deep eutectic solvent systems, and environmentally friendly purification strategies. Studies exploring advanced analytical and characterization techniques, such as spectroscopic, thermal, rheological, and morphological assessments, are also encouraged.

We seek research and review articles addressing the expanding application landscape of chitin and chitosan, including biomedical engineering, drug delivery, tissue scaffolding, food packaging, agriculture, environmental remediation, nanotechnology, and composite material development. Interdisciplinary contributions that bridge fundamental science with translational or industrial implementation are particularly encouraged.

By bringing together cutting-edge research, this Special Issue aims to advance knowledge, promote sustainable biomaterial development, and stimulate innovation in chitin and chitosan science.

Dr. Azizur Rahman
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polysaccharides is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • chitin
  • chitosan
  • biopolymer extraction
  • green processing technologies
  • structural characterization
  • biomedical applications
  • environmental remediation
  • bio-based materials
  • marine biomass valorization
  • functional polysaccharides

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issues

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

21 pages, 3206 KB  
Article
Induction of Salt Stress Tolerance in Strawberries Using a Chitosan–Maltodextrin System
by Judith Isabel Torres-de la Cruz, Eneida Adilene Pérez-Velasco, Aida Isabel Leal-Robles and Alonso Méndez-López
Polysaccharides 2026, 7(3), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides7030080 - 3 Jul 2026
Viewed by 304
Abstract
Salinity is a major abiotic constraint limiting strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) productivity by disrupting water relations, nutrient uptake, and photosynthetic processes. Biopolymer-based biostimulants have emerged as a sustainable strategy to enhance crop performance under stress conditions. The objective of this study [...] Read more.
Salinity is a major abiotic constraint limiting strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) productivity by disrupting water relations, nutrient uptake, and photosynthetic processes. Biopolymer-based biostimulants have emerged as a sustainable strategy to enhance crop performance under stress conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a chitosan–maltodextrin (CHTMD) formulation on growth, physiological response, and fruit quality in strawberry plants under saline conditions at the Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro in Saltillo, Mexico. A randomized complete block design with a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement was established, including two salinity levels (0 and 45 mM NaCl) and four CHTMD concentrations (0, 250, 500, and 1000 mg L−1). The application of CHTMD significantly mitigated the adverse effects of salinity and improved plant growth, biomass accumulation, gas exchange, yield, and fruit quality. Under saline conditions, 250 mg L−1 increased total fresh weight by 148.5% compared with the saline control, while root length increased by up to 58.5% under non-saline conditions. Yield was enhanced by 87.3% and 71.4% with 250 and 1000 mg L−1, respectively, whereas fruit number increased by up to 63.8% under salinity. Photosynthetic rate increased from 12.58 to 16.19 μmol CO2 m−2 s−1 and stomatal conductance from 0.235 to 0.325 mol H2O m−2 s−1. Fruit quality was also enhanced, with soluble solids increasing from 5.9 to 7.1 °Brix, vitamin C from 50.58 to 115.42 mg 100 g−1 FW, and total anthocyanins from 65.7 to 106.2 C3G 100 g−1 FW, indicating a substantial enhancement to the fruit’s nutraceutical quality, particularly at 500 mg L−1 and 1000 mg L−1. These findings demonstrate that the CHTMD system is an effective biostimulant capable of improving tolerance to salt stress by modulating key physiological and biochemical responses, as well as enhancing the functional quality of the fruit. This approach represents a promising and sustainable strategy for strawberry production in agricultural systems affected by salinity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chitin and Chitosan: Preparation, Purification, Characterization, and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 4461 KB  
Article
Bioprocessing of Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) Shells for α-Chitin Extraction via Sequential Fermentation with Bacillus haynesii and Lactobacillus delbrueckii
by Gopi Manju, Pambayan Ulagan Mahalingam, Raman Krishnamoorthi, Pradeep Kumar Sudheeran, Kalyani Dhanapal, Anbalagan Indhrapriyadarshini, Arokia Vijaya Anand Mariadoss, Juyeon Lee and Kwang-sun Kim
Polysaccharides 2026, 7(2), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides7020061 - 22 May 2026
Viewed by 805
Abstract
The industrial extraction of chitin from shrimp shell waste conventionally employs corrosive chemical treatments, which pose significant environmental hazards and compromise polymer integrity. This study introduces a sustainable and highly efficient microbial biorefining strategy for the recovery of α-chitin from Litopenaeus vannamei shells, [...] Read more.
The industrial extraction of chitin from shrimp shell waste conventionally employs corrosive chemical treatments, which pose significant environmental hazards and compromise polymer integrity. This study introduces a sustainable and highly efficient microbial biorefining strategy for the recovery of α-chitin from Litopenaeus vannamei shells, utilizing a sequential fermentation framework. Two potent strains—Bacillus haynesii MGPUMGRI, known for its proteolytic capabilities, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii MGPUMGRI, which produces lactic acid—were isolated and optimized. A notable technical achievement was the purification of an approximately 40 kDa extracellular alkaline protease from B. haynesii, which demonstrated optimal activity at pH 9.0 and 37 °C. Under optimized conditions, the sequential process—emphasizing enzymatic deproteinization (72.30 ± 1.56%) followed by lactic acid-mediated demineralization (84.98 ± 1.96%)—achieved a high-purity chitin recovery of 61.33 ± 1.06%. Comprehensive characterization using SEM-EDX, FTIR, and XRD confirmed the successful preservation of the α-chitin polymorphic structure, which exhibited a fragmented fibrillar morphology and a crystallinity index (CrI) of 60.51%. These findings indicate that this dual-strain bioprocess offers a scalable and environmentally friendly alternative for the valorization of seafood waste into high-quality biogenic polymers, while minimizing the ecological impact of chitin production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chitin and Chitosan: Preparation, Purification, Characterization, and Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop