Production and isolation of chitosan from Mucor rouxii

A method for the lab-scale production and isolation of chitosan (polyglucosamine) from hyphal walls of Mucor rouxii was developed. Hyphal wall yields were generally 16 to 22% on a dry cell weight basis, of which 35 to 40% was glucosamine. Chitosan was readily extracted from purified, mycelial walls with acetic, formic, and hydrochloric acids; the last named was the most efficient. The yield of chitosan isolated ranged from 4 to 8% of the dry weight of the cell wall material.