Preparation of Chitosan from Insects

The preparation of chitin and chitosan from insects is described. In particular chitosan is extracted from abandoned exuviae of Hermetia Illucens (Black Soldier Fly) a very interesting and useful insect.
It is also showed how to decolorize the chitin (in case needed)

[@braveecologic2030]

Top work! Well done! Thank you :D

[@nirmal6362]

thanks sir sharing ur experiments and inspiring us for sustainable future.

[@dineshnain6469]

Bro plz tell me thiss useg

[@Arthurdedin]

Thanks for the video ! Can't wait for the video on the antimicrobial peptides of the compost ;)

[@sasarello8124]

Dear Arthur, Unfortunately I am very busy with my work in this period. Moreover, the hunt of antimicrobial peptides from the compost is more difficult than I was supposing. In the next months I should be able to prepare and test a chitosan oligosaccharide extracted from the insects cuticulae that should have antimicrobial properties. Best regards, Alessandro

[@Beingunknown1701]

And chitosan nanoparticles synthesis using chitosan

[@ngocvokhanh1996]

Thank for your usefull video, i want to work with chitosan more about performing chitosan membrane but dont know how to crosslinked chitosan with what...

[@sasarello8124]

Hi, You could crosslinki using conventional cross-linking agents such as formaldheyde or di-epoxyde compounds. A quick-reacting alternative can be a zirconium salts such as ammonium zirconium carbonate. If you are looking to a natural alternative (but expensive) you could use genipin extracted from gardenia fruits. Best regards

[@johngabrielmijares3947]

Hi! how can I make the chitosan water soluble because I am thinking about making wrappers for preserving meat.

[@sasarello8124]

Hi,, you need to neutralize the chitosan by adding an acid (e.g. chloridric, acetic, lactic...). You can starting adding a small amount of diluted acid and then stirring and observing: at a certain point a gel of chitosan (strenght depending on the MW of chitosan) will be formed.

[@judematthewbatan1236]

@@sasarello8124Hi! Can you make a video about it and how you do it? It would be a big help

[@arthurcosta1280]

Eu também gostaria de ver um vídeo sobre a solubilização das diferentes quitosanas extraídas pelo seu método!

[@bommgozilla349]

Excellent video, I have a question regarding to solubility of chitosan obtained from insect. I´m working with T. molitor exuviae and I have some problems with this parameter

[@sasarello8124]

I think a poor solubility may depends on the deegree of deacetylation: did you measure it?

[@michaeljarvis8377]

What is the name of the machine its on?

[@moisescaus6641]

Could you grind it before the experiment ? I think it would result in better results

[@sasarello8124]

Yes it would be better but you need an improved filtration system in order to not loose small particles.

[@Beingunknown1701]

Which research paper did you refere, please can you explain the process of making chitosan from chitin powder

[@sasarello8124]

The article I think most usefull is on: zdch.uj.edu.pl/documents/87419401/94640242/ESTABLISH_Chitosan2_ANG.pdf - if not work, try to google: european science and technology in action: chitosan fat magnet. Best regards

[@drkavirajaapandiansambasev6671]

Could you share the importance of neutrality at the end of each step? washing after each step to get the neutral pH is very time consuming for us. Btw we are working on fungal chitosan.

[@sasarello8124]

I know that reaching neutrality via washing may be a long operation. If you can tolerate in your application the presence of some salt you could stop washing before neutrality. You could assess the level of acidity or alkalinity residual via tritation. I hope this helps. Best.

[@drkavirajaapandiansambasev6671]

@@sasarello8124 it helps a lot. Thanks.

[@eslamhussien9182]

I have a question, Doctor: What is the resulting percentage of chitosan, that is, the end? Secondly, why did you start getting rid of proteins first, and there are other studies that start by getting rid of minerals first? Is there a difference?

[@sasarello8124]

Hi Eslam, I decided to start first with deproteinization because this operation can remove proteins before they became eventually denaturated. If you start with HCl you could denaturate proteins making them more resistant to removal. However, I think it is possible to start first with acid to remove carbonate; may be using less concentrated HCl solution and several acid treatments. Starting with 100 g of dried shrimp shells I obtained 40 g of chitin and then, after chitin hydrolysis, 20 g of chitosan (in amine form). Best regards, Alessandro

[@chitrangkapadia9293]

what is the Degree of Deacetylation obtained by this method and does it vary if we use snow crabs or prawn shells? A follow-up to that, does the decoloration/depigmentation change the degree of deacetylation and the ash content?

[@chitrangkapadia9293]

Thank you for the method. Chitosan is a great biomaterial and I would like to learn more about it. Kind regards.

[@sasarello8124]

Dear Chitrang, I did not measure the deacetylation degree. however, since the material swells in acidic solution it should be at least, let's say > 60 %. Regards treatment with H2O2 it may increase the deacetylation and the ash content, but again I did not measure. I hope this helps. Best Regards

[@chitrangkapadia9293]

@@sasarello8124 Thank you for your kind response :)

[@adityasuresh6607]

Crabs ~10%chitosan, shrimp shell ~30%

[@andreisamon5283]

Hello sir! i just want to ask if you can still effectively make chitosan without stirring it or without a magnetic stirrer?

[@sasarello8124]

Andrei, May be you can do without stirring (magnetic or mechanic) but it would be better to stirr.

[@TT-ww8vv]

Bet that smells lovely

[@paolyndayao6570]

Hi there! Would you mind sharing which papers and books you used for this method? Much obliged.

[@sasarello8124]

In this site: www.establish-fp7.eu/resources/units/chitosan-%E2%80%93-fatmagnet.html you will find a lot of pdf documents with methods. Regards

[@rowenaochoa5247]

Hi! Can we do it with 40g chitin and 500mL NaOH?

[@sasarello8124]

I think yes you can do it.

[@johngabrielmijares3947]

Hi, do you have the study where you based your methods? If you do, can I please see and have it. Thank you!

[@sasarello8124]

Hi, if you go into this site: www.establish-fp7.eu/resources/units/chitosan-%E2%80%93-fatmagnet.html you will find detailed pdf(s) with synthesis, analysis etc. Regards

[@Keerthikalekha]

Hi! Thank you for the video. How would u determine the concentration, temperature and duration for each step. Is there any indicate that tells us that a particular process is over?

[@sasarello8124]

I Keertika, I was inspired by the material in the site: www.establish-fp7.eu/resources/units/chitosan-%E2%80%93-fatmagnet.html

[@user-zq3wc1id7p]

Hi! May I know the articles/literature you used in this method? Thank you so much :)

[@sasarello8124]

Hi in: www.establish-fp7.eu/resources/units/chitosan-%E2%80%93-fatmagnet.html there are a lot of pdf with methods.

[@user-do1rg1eq9m]

Hi there, thanks for sharing. Is it safe to boil 50% NaOH at 120°C for the acetylation of chitin?

[@sasarello8124]

Not safe, It should be done in a lab with suitable equipment. Like in the video. Also don't forget personal protection equipment (gloves, glasses, labcoat)

[@giagia4835]

Hello, can i ask about protein and minerals after being extracted by naoh, hcl can still be used?

[@sasarello8124]

Probably recover of proteins could be of interest in my opinion. Best regards

[@akankshakirti1087]

hello sir i am doing research on chitin and chitosan and i have selected silkworm pupae as source . i want to know the name of the device you are using to stirr ?????

[@sasarello8124]

Hello, It is an IKA (it is the name of the manufacturer) stirrer/hot plate. Best regards

[@judematthewbatan1236]

Hi! do you have a paper about this study? and how do you powderize Chitosan?

[@sasarello8124]

Dear Jude, Sorry but I do not have a paper about this study. Small amounts can be prepared using a mortar

[@judematthewbatan1236]

@@sasarello8124 Hi! Thank you for replying to my message but how can I make the chitosan water soluble because I am planning to make wrapper that can preserve or prolong shelf life of vegetables

[@zandrixboss5673]

WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT BLUE THINGY THAT YOU USE FOR CEPROTEIN AND DECARBO

[@sasarello8124]

It is an electric heater. Ciao

[@antseverafter9794]

Can you please give details about bleaching process I'm facing difficulties in bleaching process

[@sasarello8124]

Dear Ants, I also had a lot of difficulty with whitening. In the end, for 1g of cuticles I used 50ml of 35% H2O2 for 2 hours at 60°C (pH 8.5 for sodium bicarbonate). Suggest modifying by raising the pH to 10 using sodium carbonate instead of bicarbonate. Best regards

[@markanthonycastillo3244]

hi sir have you tried using superworm instead of black soldier fly

[@sasarello8124]

Hi, I did not try superworm; my be all depends on how much chitin it contains.....

[@elangkathirrajaa6300]

Hi sir...thanks for this video. Is these process is economically possible at large scale?

[@sasarello8124]

Just my opinion: yes if part of an economic chain where the fly is used for (in order of importance) 1) production of proteins for cicken and pigs 2) the fly eating vegetable garbage helps to waste management 3) production of oil 4) fly fertilizer ... and 5) with the abandoned shells chitin and chitosan could be produced. The method I used in lab is also essentially used industrially but trying to recycle reagents as much as possible and minimizing wastes. For a quick info pls. visit Protix site: protix.eu/ Best

[@diuniasing7135]

hi sir , can mealworm molt (mealworm skin) do it as ur step for chitosan too ?

[@sasarello8124]

I think yes, even if I did not try....

[@antseverafter9794]

How to make 50 percent naoh solution plz.. I'm dissolving 50g in 100 ml distilled water is it correct????

[@sasarello8124]

No, it is more concentrated: 50 g NaOH in 50 g (or ml) of water

[@TT-ww8vv]

What about mushrooms? They are chitinous.

[@quvonmurodjorayev1902]

Hi. Thanks for this video. I want to get chitosan from bees. Can we take it according to this methodology.

[@sasarello8124]

Good question: I am not an entomologist, however , bee being an insect should contain chitin. But I think that on a practical point of view the whole biomass from an hive is very low if compared to that can be obtained from the black soldier fly. Best

[@stevenallen9592]

What they are doing is catching all of the feces the maggots lay, and when each time the maggots most it leaves a shell behind. You might be able to use the dead bees but does it also contain its feces (castings) don't the bees go through the larvae stage inside the comb? If you have enough whole dead bees then go for it. The fecal matter is more of a nitrogen source but the bees still contain the Chitin. You can pick up nitrogen from just about anything else its not needed in with the Chitin. I get it from crustreantion shells being I live on the coast and compost it down or make a tea if need be

[@hnrworld3619]

Hello sir , i hope to doing my research on chitin extraction from shrimp shells. Are there any purification method ?

[@sasarello8124]

I can send you my protocol if you send me your email. Regards

[@hnrworld3619]

Sir I sent you a mail

[@sasarello8124]

@@hnrworld3619 You can write to: [e-mail]

[@mahourfarzan]

Hi That was useful. Did you actually add 300 gr NaOH to obtain chitosan from chitin? And Would you please send me the paper?

[@sasarello8124]

Procedure: In a round-bottom flask 150 ml sodium hydroxide solution are added to 2 g of chitin. The apparatus is (should be....) flushed with nitrogen and then it is closed air-tightly with a nitrogen-filled balloon. Now the mixture is heated under stirring to at 125°C for one hour. The mixture is allowed to cool and then 100 ml of water are added. The next day the mixture is filtered off and the residue is washed with water to neutral reaction and dried in the oven at 60°C. I hope this helps, best regards

[@mahourfarzan]

@@sasarello8124 Extremely useful sir. I greatly appreciate your response.

[@mahourfarzan]

@@sasarello8124 Is it necessary to wash the mixture in every step after 1 day?

[@sasarello8124]

@@mahourfarzan Unfortunately, yes. Best!

[@sasarello8124]

@@mahourfarzan Hi, No you can wait just 1 hour. Best regards

[@user-zq3wc1id7p]

Good day ma'am/sir! I have sent you an email! thank you😀

[@rounackpaul4894]

What is demi water???

[@sasarello8124]

Hi Paul, demi water means demineralized water (water with a very low level of minerals). Regards.

[@akshayasenthil4398]

Hi. After depigmentation can we do deacetylation process

[@sasarello8124]

YES

[@akshayasenthil4398]

@@sasarello8124 thank you so much shall I alter the solution quantity according to the exoskeleton weight or else same as shown in video

[@sasarello8124]

@@akshayasenthil4398 Yes.

[@xxxcarlosxxxist]

Hi! Where can I find the articles you consulted for the method of extraction?

[@sasarello8124]

Hi Carlos could you send me an email?

[@itskurisutin]

Hi! May I know the articles/literature you used in this method? Thank you so much :)

[@sasarello8124]

yes, can you send me an email pls.?