Formation of low molecular weight oligomers from chitin and chitosan stimulated by plasma-assisted processes

The controlled degradation of solid powders of chitin and chitosan stimulated by electron-beam plasma (EBP) was experimentally studied. Crab shell chitin and chitosan were used as original substances. The non-equilibrium low temperature EBP was generated by injecting an electron beam into a gaseous medium. Chitooligosaccharides with Mw = 800-2000 Da and polydispersion 1.5-2.5 were formed due to the EBP-treatment of chitin and chitosan. The β-1,4 glycosidic bounds in original polymers degrade under the action of active oxygen species produced in the EBP. Low molecular weight products of chitosan inhibited the growth of various yeast-like and filamentous fungi at minimum inhibitory concentration 500 mcg/ml. By optimizing the treatment conditions and using special techniques of reaction volume formation the 95% yield of chitooligosaccharides was obtained after 2 min whereas the conventional chemical hydrolysis usually takes several days. The EBP-stimulated hydrolysis is promising for effective polysaccharides degradation and can be competitive with traditional technologies.