Applications of biopolymers I: chitosan

Chitosan is prepared from chitin, the second most abundant natural polymer in the world. It is primarily composed of glucosamine and N-acetyl glucosamine residues with a 1,4-beta-linkage. It can be obtained by deacetylation of chitin, which is produced from shells of crustaceans, insects, and other sources. Chitosan is a nontoxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible natural polymer and can be used in a wide range of applications such as in the areas of biomedicine, membranes, drug delivery systems, hydrogels, water treatment, food packaging, etc. In this paper, some novel applications of this biopolymer in different fields are reviewed.