Muzzarelli R A, Tanfani F, Scarpini G, Laterza G
J Biochem Biophys Methods. 1980 May;2(5):299-306. doi: 10.1016/0165-022x(80)90054-8.
Gas chromatography of a number of amines, alcohols and sulfur derivatives was carried out on chitin and partially deacetylated chitins as well as on chitosan. The retention time of methanol is proportional to the degree of acetylation, and therefore a method is proposed for the gas-chromatographic determination of the degree of acetylation of chitin/chitosan. The analysis of the infrared spectra of chitin/chitosan also permits one to determine the degree of acetylation by using the ratio of the bands 1550 and 2878 cm-1.
