50
3 Chitin
than the chemicals used in chitin production, the process of removing chitin from the
environment should also be considered. Chitin deposited by molting arthropods, dead
diatoms, insects and mushrooms is otherwise used up by microorganisms including
bacteria and fungi for metabolism. Removal of these chitinous materials makes them
unavailable to these microorganisms within the aquatic environment. This is likely
to impact on the biodiversity of microbes and other organisms within the environment, and this would have an effect on the ecosystem. The ecosystem involves every
organism playing a role in the carbon and nitrogen cycle as well as the food chain.
The reduction or increase in one population will affect that of another and the ecosystem as a whole. We must therefore weigh the benefits of manufacturing chitin and
chitin-based products against the environmental cost of removing them from their
originating environment.
From the environmental impacts outlined thus far, it becomes apparent that the
energy and resources consumed and emissions from chitin and chitosan production
vary significantly from company to company. Other than the source of raw material,
other factors such as transportation mode, distance, choice of fuel and method of
extraction have an effect on the impact the production of chitin will have on the
environment. Here, we have compared two processes from two sources (shrimp and
crab), from two different countries.
3.7 Applications
The demand for biodegradable polymers lies chiefly in their demand for using alternatives to non-biodegradable, petroleum/fossil fuel-based plastics. Despite the rise
in the production of natural derived biodegradable plastics, presently of the 300 million tonnes of plastic being produced annually, only about 1% are from natural source
(Brostow and Datashvili 2016).
Presently at 80.413 billion USD and predicted to rise to 105,549 billion USD by
2027, the global demand for chitin-based product is on the rise. The largest demand
for chitin derivatives is for chitosan. Glucosamine gained the majority of the market
share for chitin derivatives, while chitosan came second. Up to 64.9% of chitin was
converted to glucosamine (Future Market Insights 2019).
The global chitin market is as of 2017 is worth 900 million USD with Asia Pacific
being the largest producing nations (excluding Japan), North America the second
largest producers and Japan being the third largest. There is also chitin production in
Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa, albeit to a lesser extent. The chitin
market is projected to be worth 2.9 billion USD by the year 2027 (Future Market
Insights 2019). Most of the chitin produced is converted to chitosan and glucosamine
and other derivatives. The demand for chitin and chitin derivatives lies in health care,
wastewater treatment and agrochemicals with less although significant value in the
food and beverages, cosmetics and toiletries and other applications (Future Market
Insights 2019).
3 Chitin
than the chemicals used in chitin production, the process of removing chitin from the
environment should also be considered. Chitin deposited by molting arthropods, dead
diatoms, insects and mushrooms is otherwise used up by microorganisms including
bacteria and fungi for metabolism. Removal of these chitinous materials makes them
unavailable to these microorganisms within the aquatic environment. This is likely
to impact on the biodiversity of microbes and other organisms within the environment, and this would have an effect on the ecosystem. The ecosystem involves every
organism playing a role in the carbon and nitrogen cycle as well as the food chain.
The reduction or increase in one population will affect that of another and the ecosystem as a whole. We must therefore weigh the benefits of manufacturing chitin and
chitin-based products against the environmental cost of removing them from their
originating environment.
From the environmental impacts outlined thus far, it becomes apparent that the
energy and resources consumed and emissions from chitin and chitosan production
vary significantly from company to company. Other than the source of raw material,
other factors such as transportation mode, distance, choice of fuel and method of
extraction have an effect on the impact the production of chitin will have on the
environment. Here, we have compared two processes from two sources (shrimp and
crab), from two different countries.
3.7 Applications
The demand for biodegradable polymers lies chiefly in their demand for using alternatives to non-biodegradable, petroleum/fossil fuel-based plastics. Despite the rise
in the production of natural derived biodegradable plastics, presently of the 300 million tonnes of plastic being produced annually, only about 1% are from natural source
(Brostow and Datashvili 2016).
Presently at 80.413 billion USD and predicted to rise to 105,549 billion USD by
2027, the global demand for chitin-based product is on the rise. The largest demand
for chitin derivatives is for chitosan. Glucosamine gained the majority of the market
share for chitin derivatives, while chitosan came second. Up to 64.9% of chitin was
converted to glucosamine (Future Market Insights 2019).
The global chitin market is as of 2017 is worth 900 million USD with Asia Pacific
being the largest producing nations (excluding Japan), North America the second
largest producers and Japan being the third largest. There is also chitin production in
Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa, albeit to a lesser extent. The chitin
market is projected to be worth 2.9 billion USD by the year 2027 (Future Market
Insights 2019). Most of the chitin produced is converted to chitosan and glucosamine
and other derivatives. The demand for chitin and chitin derivatives lies in health care,
wastewater treatment and agrochemicals with less although significant value in the
food and beverages, cosmetics and toiletries and other applications (Future Market
Insights 2019).