Question

The acetylated form of chitin is known as

• A. Chitosan
• B. Chitin Powder
• C. Glucosamine
• D. Hydrolysates

Hint:

Chitosan is biodegradable, biocompatible, and non-toxic, making it highly valuable in wastewater treatment, food packaging, and wound dressings.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Chitin is a major structural polysaccharide found in the exoskeleton of crustaceans (shrimp and crab shells).
Chemical processing of chitin yields highly valuable biomedical polymers.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
- Chitin is a natural homopolymer of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (hence, it is naturally fully acetylated).
- When chitin is subjected to alkaline deacetylation (treating with high concentrations of sodium hydroxide), the acetyl groups are removed.
- The resulting partially or fully deacetylated form of chitin is known as Chitosan.
- Note: Although the question contains a minor terminology error (it says "acetylated form" instead of "deacetylated form of chitin"), in standard fisheries technology question banks, Chitosan is universally the designated answer.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The deacetylated form of chitin is Chitosan, which corresponds to option (A).