In a field of exploration where amazing things happen every day, chitosan stands out as a super material in so many ways. A natural biodegradable, biocompatible polymer derived from the shells of crustaceans, chitosan has a storied history of use in medical applications. It’s used in medical devices and dietary supplements, but chitosan’s exceptionally cool properties make it useful in applications far beyond health-related uses.
Recently, we blogged about chitosan’s role in a new type of plastic wrap and in cricket flour. While researchers are constantly developing potential new ways to use chitosan, here are some neat real-world, real-time ways the polymer is making life better for people around the world:
Greener blue jeans
Italdenim, an Italian fabric maker, is using chitosan to help make blue jeans “greener.” Using a process patented by Canepa, another fabric maker, Italdenim has been able to reduce the amount of water consumed in its denim manufacturing by 60–80 percent, trim energy use 40–50 percent, eliminate the use of chemicals like polyvinyl alcohol, removed chemical fixatives that help bind color to fiber, and reduce the amount of colorant they use. Canepa’s process uses chitosan, and it’s been the key to the positive results, Italdenim CEO Gigi Caccia says. “ … Chitosan increases the product’s ability to hold color,” she said in a press release on the Canepa website. “It amounts to a reduction of between 10–20 percent, and varies depending on the type of product. For instance, with a darker item which requires more color, the savings is greater.”
Finer wine
That delicious glass of wine you relax with at the end of a long week is crisp, clear and beautiful — but it sure didn’t start life that way. During the winemaking process, vintners need to remove a lot of stuff from their wine, both particles you can see and other things you can’t, and they do this through a process called “fining.” Winemaker Magazine says, “Fining is the act of adding a product to wine to remove suspended solids.” Chitosan is a common fining agent in the wine industry, and is most often used for white wines since it doesn’t contain tannins that might affect the flavor of the wine. In fact, Winemaker Magazine says, “Chitosan has a reputation for being fairly gentle on the character of finished wine.”
Plant protection
Draught and locusts aren’t the only problems farmers have to contend with. They struggle to protect crops from viral, bacterial and fungal infections, too. With its natural antimicrobial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties, chitosan is a valuable ingredient in the fertilizers and pesticides that help protect your nation’s food supply.
Better bandages
When used in a hemostatic wound dressing, chitosan speeds blood coagulation and inhibits infection, studies have shown. An idea that began as a way to save soldiers wounded in battle, chitosan-based wound dressing is now commonplace. In fact, you can even purchase gauze and bandages that contain chitosan through popular online retailers!
Of course, you’ve probably seen ads promoting chitosan as a weight-control supplement, and that’s one area where researchers say there’s more work to be done. Still, chitosan isn’t just the hot ingredient of the moment, it’s also very cool science that’s already enhancing our lives in so many ways, with many more uses yet to be discovered.