Table of Contents

ABSTRACT

Chitin, the second most abundant natural polysaccharide after cellulose on earth, is widely distributed in nature, mainly as the structural component of the exoskeletons of crustaceans, insect cuticles, in marine diatoms, algae and fungal cell walls. Chitin is a polymer of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine monomers. Shellfish waste is the major source of chitin worldwide. Biosynthesis of chitin occurs in a series of reactions and is studied in different organisms. Chitin is insoluble in water and various other solvents but it can be converted by deacetylation in to its soluble form called chitosan. Chitosan is mainly found in the cell wall of some fungi. Commercial chitosan is derived from the shells of shrimp and other sea crustaceans. These are nontoxic, biocompatible, biologically safe, biodegradable and renewable biopolymers. These remarkable properties of chitin and chitosan make them versatile biomolecules with number of applications in various fields like biotechnology, chemistry, food processing, textile, agriculture, veterinary, environmental protection, and medicine production. The aim of this review is to have a look at the source, structure, preparation and properties of the chitin and chitosan. In view of this, the present review is to attract the attention of various biologists on these underutilized biological macromolecules.