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physicochemical and functional properties of crawfish chitosan as ...

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peeling w<strong>as</strong>te during recovery <strong>of</strong> edible tail meat that makes up 15% <strong>of</strong> the total product. The<br />

w<strong>as</strong>te residue representing 85% <strong>of</strong> the biom<strong>as</strong>s h<strong>as</strong> traditionally been discharged in l<strong>and</strong>fill<br />

dumping sites without pretreatment (Rout, 2001). While much research h<strong>as</strong> been done with<br />

<strong>chitosan</strong> extraction from crab shell, limited information is available on the extraction possibilities<br />

with <strong>crawfish</strong> shell w<strong>as</strong>te. The humongous w<strong>as</strong>te from <strong>crawfish</strong> particularly in Louisiana<br />

represents an outlet economic potential for the state.<br />

Previous studies demonstrated that <strong>crawfish</strong> <strong>and</strong> crustacean w<strong>as</strong>tes, <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong><br />

organically-rich shellfish processing streams in general, can no longer be considered <strong>as</strong><br />

disposable “w<strong>as</strong>te” products with minimal economic value, but should be considered <strong>as</strong><br />

pr<strong>of</strong>itable alternatives leading to valuable products <strong>of</strong> commerce (No et al., 1992). Similar<br />

research studies by Lee (1989) demonstrated that the <strong>as</strong>taxanthin-rich shell from <strong>crawfish</strong> w<strong>as</strong>te<br />

is a valuable natural resource for commercially fe<strong>as</strong>ible pigment which is marketed <strong>as</strong> a fish food<br />

additive in aquaculture, especially for Salmon. Apart from the recoverable pigment, it h<strong>as</strong> been<br />

shown that <strong>crawfish</strong> shell w<strong>as</strong>te possesses a significant <strong>and</strong> renewable major resource for the<br />

biopolymer chitin (23.5% on a dry b<strong>as</strong>is compared to 14-27% <strong>and</strong> 13-15% <strong>of</strong> the dry weight <strong>of</strong><br />

shrimp <strong>and</strong> crab processing w<strong>as</strong>te, respectively) <strong>and</strong> <strong>chitosan</strong> (No <strong>and</strong> Meyers, 1989,1992).<br />

Therefore, the applications <strong>of</strong> <strong>crawfish</strong> shell w<strong>as</strong>tes <strong>as</strong> a source <strong>of</strong> <strong>as</strong>taxanthin, chitin <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>chitosan</strong> represent a total byproduct utilization concept with realistic implications in other<br />

crustacean w<strong>as</strong>te recovery industries (No <strong>and</strong> Meyers, 1989). Further significance can be seen in<br />

the utilization <strong>of</strong> <strong>as</strong>taxanthin pigment, chitin, <strong>and</strong> protein from <strong>crawfish</strong> shell <strong>as</strong> mentioned<br />

earlier in a variety <strong>of</strong> fields with different applications. However, this thesis study will focus on<br />

the isolation <strong>of</strong> <strong>chitosan</strong> with <strong>crawfish</strong> shell <strong>as</strong> a source.<br />

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