Preparation and Characterization of Chitosan from Schistocerca Gregaria (Desert Locust).

The current study prepared and characterized chitosan from Schistocerca gregaria (Desert Locust) by a chemical method. The Schistocerca gregaria (Desert Locust) chitin and chitosan have yield of 42% and 43% with acceptable physicochemical properties such as Moisture content: 6.0±0.014 and 5.0±0.007 %, Ash content: 2.20 and 2.0%, Protein content 12.0±0.028 and 9.01 ±0.021, Crude fibre8.95±0.041 and 8.95 ± 0.014%, Lipid content, 10.0 ±0.014 and10.0 ±0.014%, however, high carbohydrate, 60.5±0.01 and 65.0±0.01% are quantified in the obtained chitin and chitosan. properties of chitosan prepared were compared with that of the other sources chitosan extracted, the study revealed that (FTIR) analysis confirmed the structure of chitosan by the presence of their characteristic IR bands such as the N-H and O-H stretching bands around 3630 cm-1, oxygen stretching (C-O-C) glycosidic linkage bands around 1125 cm-1, (C-O) in primary OH group bands around 976 cm-1, and 1634 cm-1 corresponding to the free amino group (-NH2) at C2 of glucosamine with 69% degree of deacetylation. Also, the obtained XRD peaks were around 19.01, and 20.48° which indicated the amophores structure. This indicates the successive formation of chitosan biopolymer. Therefore, the Schistocerca gregaria chitosan can be said to be of better quality and hence can replace commercial chitin and chitosan in terms of utilization and applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]