Chitosan, a β-(1,4)-linked polysaccharide of D-glucosamine, is a deacetylated form of chitin, the
second most abundant natural polymer in the word. Derived from exoskeleton of insects, crustaceans
(shells of crobs, shrimps) and fungi. The notable properties of chitin and its deacetylated form,
chitosan, include excellent biocompatibility, admirable biodegradability and low toxicity which
provide ample opportunities for this polymer to further development. It has become of great interest
not only as a by product resource but also as a new functional biomaterial in various fields such as
wastewater treatment, food, agriculture, cosmetic core and biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries.
We have studied the interaction between chitosan (CH-112, AD = 2.9% and CH-111, AD = 13%) and activated carbon
to elaborate composite gels to heal injuries. Chitosan has been used for its healing characteristics and activated carbon
has been used for its powerful impact of had smells and humidity coming from injuries.
The capacity of adsorption of the chitosan-112 on the activated carbon is of 330mg.g-1 whereas it is of 75mg.g-1 for the
chitosan-111. This is explained by the difference of the acetylation degree. Chitosan-112 presents the most amine
groups. In acidic solution, these groups are transformed in ammonium ion. Consequently, chitosan-112 is more adsorbed
on the negative sites of the activated carbon surface. In the same way, the adsorption of the chitosan-112 on sterilized
activated carbon remains unchanged. That means that sterilization by gamma ray did not modify total surface but rather
the chemistry of the surface of the activated carbon. In addition, the adsorption capacity of the chitosan-112 on activated
carbon increases with the temperature.
