Extraction and optimization of chitosan from razor clam (Ensis arcuatus) shells by using response surface methodology (RSM)
Chitin can be found in animal source especially arthropods such as crustacean, mollusk and insect, as well as in plant source such as fungi. Chitosan is obtained from chitin after the acetyl group is removed from chitin structure through deacetylation step and has wide application in various fields (food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical). In this study, chitosan was extracted from razor clam shells, where the extraction conditions were optimized. Two- factors of randomized D-optimal design was used to determine the optimum condition for the extraction of chitosan from razor clam (Ensis arcuatus) by using response surface methodology (RSM). The chemical extraction was optimized using five levels with two factors which were the deacetylation time (2,4,6,8,10 hrs) and deacetylation temperature (50, 60, 70, 80 and 90ºC). A randomized design suggested by Design Expert software was implemented with four responses evaluated: yield (%); degree of deacetylation (%); molecular weight (kDA); and ash content (%). Time (h) and temperature (ºC) of the deacetylation significantly (p<0.05) affected the yield (%), degree of deacetylation (DDA) (%), molecular weight (Mw) (kDA) and ash content (%) of the chitosan extracted. The optimum conditions for the chitosan extraction were at the respective deacetylation time and temperature of 6h and 70ºC with actual values of yield (%), degree of deacetylation (%), molecular weight (kDA) and ash content (%) of 19.903±2.367, 50.113±0.902, 476.727±13.603, 8.517±2.094, respectively. The optimum condition for the chitosan extraction was experimentally verified and valid for further analysis.