出版社:Grupo de Pesquisa Metodologias em Ensino e Aprendizagem em Ciências
摘要:Currently, the commercial production of chitosan takes place through the thermochemical deacetylation of crustacean shells, which process requires the use of chemical substances, such as strong alkaline solutions, which are important sources of environment pollution. We present a method for the production of chitosan by Cunninghamella elegans UCP 1306 using a green metabolic conversion of agro-industrial residues, based on a 22 Factorial Design and describe the main morphological changes observed in the specie. The highest yield of biomass (6.375 g/L) and chitosan (101.7 mg/g) were observed in the assay 2 (Corn steep liquor -CSL 4%, Cassava wastewater-CWW 4%), where the specie presented loose and branched hyphae with the presence of septations, pellets of 0.4 to 0.5 mm and clumps of up to 0.1 mm. Statistical analysis showed that higher concentration of CSL contributed significantly to the growth of the species. The bands determined in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the degree of deacetylation of 84.61% of the chitosan obtained. This research showed that the use of CSL and CWW in association was very promising, being able to be used as sustainable sources of nitrogen and carbon in the production of fungal chitosan with a high degree of deacetylation and can be applied to the industrial process.