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Comparison of Extraction Methods of Chitin from Ganoderma lucidum Mushroom Obtained in Submerged Culture

Summary

This research explores an innovative way to produce chitin, an important natural polymer, from mushroom cultivation rather than traditional shellfish sources. The study demonstrates that the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum can be grown in controlled conditions to produce chitin efficiently. Impacts on everyday life: – Provides a more sustainable and controlled source of chitin for various industries – Reduces dependence on seasonal seafood waste for chitin production – Opens new possibilities for allergen-free chitin in medical and pharmaceutical applications – Creates potential for year-round chitin production through mushroom farming – Offers environmental benefits by utilizing biotechnology instead of marine resource extraction

Background

Chitin is the second most abundant biopolymer in nature found in shells of crustaceans, insect cuticles, and fungi cell walls. While crustacean shells are the most common source, they can be limited and seasonal. Fungal mycelia are gaining importance as an alternative chitin source since they can be cultivated year-round through controlled fermentation processes.

Objective

To evaluate and compare five different protocols for isolating chitin from Ganoderma lucidum produced under submerged culture conditions, and characterize the extracted chitin using various analytical techniques.

Results

The chitin contents extracted from 9-day mycelia were 413, 339, 87, 78, and 144 mg/g (milligrams of chitin/grams of dry biomass) for assays A1-A5 respectively. The highest biomass yield achieved was 21.87 ± 2.2 g/L. XRD patterns showed characteristic chitin peaks, with assay A5 showing the highest crystallinity. FTIR analysis confirmed chitin structure with representative bands, showing 79.53% correlation with standard chitin.

Conclusion

Biotechnological production of G. lucidum biomass is a suitable alternative method for chitin production, yielding 14.42 mg/g of chitin. While A1 produced the highest chitin quantity (41% g/g), A5 produced the highest quality chitin based on XRD and FTIR analysis. The fungal biomass proves to be an excellent raw material for chitin production through controlled fermentation.
  • Published in:BioMed Research International,
  • Study Type:Laboratory Research,
  • Source: 10.1155/2014/169071
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