A review on source-specific chemistry, functionality, and applications of chitin and chitosan

Chitin (CT), an abundant biopolymer, next to cellulose, constitutes a vital renewable resource obtained from diverse biological sources. Chitosan (CS), its main derivative, is valued for its ‘tunable’ feature that facilitates numerous optimizable applications in multiple industrial sectors. The CS market is escalating exponentially, while crustaceans are majorly exploited to meet the growing demand. From the sustainability perspective, exploring...