Chitin and Chitosan: Properties and Applications

This book will provide a comprehensive assessment of the isolation, properties and applications of chitin and chitosan. These biopolymers are gaining more and more attention in different areas. Part 1 will be dedicated to isolation, characterization and their physico/chemical properties of chitin/chitosan from different sources. The second part will deal with properties of chitin/chitosan such as hydrogels, immunomodulation and biotechnology, antimicrobial activity and chemical/enzymatic modifications. Part 3 is about the medical and pharmaceutical applications like drug and gene delivery, implants and tissue engineering, wound dressing and building blocks. In part 4 applications of other areas will be discussed; packaging, food and feed, agricultural, textile, cosmetics, nanoparticles, nanofibers, membranes and water treatment. The final part will discuss regulations, markets and perspectives for the use of chitin/chitosan in the future.