Purification de la chitine par hydrolyse enzymatique à partir de coproduits de crevette Penaeus vannamei. Caractérisations des produits et optimisation du procédé

The objective of this study was to optimize the extraction of chitin by acid proteolysis. The novelty of the method is based on the stabilization of pH by the balance between substrate composition and the acid solvent. This principle allows a simultaneous demineralization and deproteinization, the two main reactions associated with the purification of chitin. To evaluate the performance of this purification, the composition of the substrate and products was characterized. Different methods of quantification of chitin and proteins have been compared. As traditional assays were not satisfaying, a direct method of amino acids determination by gaz chromatography was selected to estimate the amount of protein. The estimate of chitin amount was based on indirect methods, mainly gravimetry, elemental analysis and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Kinetics of demineralization and deproteinization were examined to optimize the purification of chitin. Mass balances confirmed the consistency of results. The quality of chitin extracted by enzymatic or chemical techniques was compared with the degree of acetylation and depolymerization and the crystallinity index of chitin. The structure of chitin was also observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Finally, compounds solubilized by enzymatic hydrolysis were identified and quantified.