Studies on the Extraction of Chitin from the Shell of Different Species of Bushehr Sea Shrimp and Its Application in Removal Methylene Blue Dye in Wastewater

Marine organisms such as shrimp, crabs, krill, and squid contain the natural polymer chitin. Chitin can be defined as a natural macromolecule as well as the most abundant and second natural polysaccharide produced by living organisms after cellulose. Chitin has many applications in the field of chemistry and medicine, including the production of antibacterial and antifungal drugs, contraceptives, synthesis of chitosan through deacetylation of chitin, absorption of heavy metals, etc. Shrimp skin is abundant in local markets in southern Iran, including Bushehr, which contains valuable compounds such as chitin, amino acids, pigments and fatty acids. Because half or more of the shrimp is considered as skin and discarded, eventually several thousand tons of shrimp skinis discarded annually, so in addition to environmental problems, it leads to a waste of capital.Removal of minerals, organic matter, and pigments from shrimp skin leads to chitin synthesis. [۱-۵]