Adsorption of mutagens to chlorophyllin-chitosan, an insoluble form of chlorophyllin.

Chlorophyllin, a water soluble derivative of chlorophyll is known to suppress the mutagenic and carcinogenic actions of compounds having polycyclic structures, e.g. heterocyclic amines and aflatoxin B1. There is evidence that this suppressing effect arises, at least in part, by a complex formation between the porphyrin-like structure of chlorophyllin and the planar molecular surfaces of these compounds. We report here that chlorophyllin can form an insoluble salt-like material when mixed with chitosan, a polyglucosamine, and that the solid chlorophyllin-chitosan thus prepared can efficiently trap polycyclic mutagenic compounds. The adsorbed polycyclic mutagens were elutable with buffers of acidic pH, but only to small extents. Chlorophyllin-chitosan may be expected to be useful as an intercepting agent against polycyclic mutagens and carcinogens.