Abstract

The aim of this study is to conduct an analytical, physical and chemical study to measure the quantity and quality of Chitin and Chitosan in the Hariqa cartilage and to compare them with Chitin and Chitosan extracted from the squid cartilage. For this purpose, an amount of cartilages of Hariqa and squid was collected on Eben Majed fishing boat, during September and October of 2008, in Mahyfif district in Almahrah governorate. This process of extraction of substances from Harika and squid cartilages as well as the comparing led to the following results:
- The quantity of the extracted raw substance from the squid cartilage that is subjected to examination = 50130 grams
- The quantity of the extracted raw substance from the Harika cartilage that is subjected to examination = 25002 grams
The results of the extraction process are as follows:
- The extracted quantity of Chitin from the squid cartilage = 2406 grams (4.8%).
- The extracted quantity of Chitin from the Harika cartilage = 443 grams (1.8%). The percentage of Chitosan content in Chitin = (76.14%) and the quantity of the extracted Chitosan from the Harika cartilage = 342 grams, whereas the percentage of Chitosan content in the Chitin = (77.2%).
The viscosity factor for the substances, which is a chief indicator for the quality of the substance, is:
- For the solution of squid Chitosan = 44,11mm 2/c
- For the solution of Harika Chitosan = 111,44mm 2/c