Characterization of chitosan hydrochloride-mucin interaction by means of viscosimetric and turbidimetric measurements

In the present work the interaction between chitosan hydrochloride (HCS) and two different types of mucin - one obtained from bovine submaxillary glands and the other from porcine stomach - was investigated. Two hydration media were tested: distilled water and 0.1 M HCl. Intrinsic viscosity, which provides information about polymeric chain conformation, was assessed in both media for HCS and bovine submaxillary mucin. Changes in the specific viscosity of HCS-mucin mixtures were observed as a function of the polymer:mucin weight ratio. The formation of interaction products was indicated by a minimum in the specific viscosity. Such a minimum occurred at different polymer:mucin weight ratios depending on the hydration medium and mucin type. This suggested a different stoichiometry of interaction. Turbidimetric measurements were also effected in order to evidentiate the eventual precipitation of the polymer-mucin interaction products. While in distilled water the precipitation of the interaction product did occur, in acidic medium, although a minimum in specific viscosity was observed, no precipitate was formed. The two techniques employed, viscosimetric and turbidimetric, allowed us to investigate for both mucins the influence of hydration medium on the formation of the HCS-mucin interaction products and to conclude that a slightly acid-neutral pH favours the interaction between HCS and mucins. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.