Chitosan and the Benefits of Green Chemistry
At Tidal Vision, we believe that nature does it better. A key part of our mission is to create positive, systemic environmental impact. Advancing chitosan chemistry solutions is one of the ways we help create this impact.
Chitosan chemistry solutions generally fit into what is known broadly as “Green Chemistry.” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines Green Chemistry as the “design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the generation of hazardous substances.”
Green Chemistry is a Wide-ranging Subject
There are 12 generally agreed upon principles which make up both the concept and discipline:
Credit: https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/stem-in-context/green-chemistry-101
Many common chemicals present hazards to both the environment and human health and safety. Health hazards from chemicals include carcinogenicity, irritation, and sensitization, while safety hazards include corrosion, flammability, and explosibility.
Chitosan and Green Chemistry
Chitosan is a chemistry solution that fits into several of the 12 principles of Green Chemistry. Waste prevention is arguably the most important of the principles: it is better to prevent waste altogether rather than have to clean it up.
Chitosan is a naturally-occurring substance that is biodegradable and non-toxic. Found primarily in the exoskeletons of insects and crustacean shells like those of crab and shrimp, chitosan is the second most abundant biopolymer on earth after cellulose.
Using chitosan in the place of toxic alternatives is by definition preventing toxic waste.
A Safer Natural Chemical
The EPA lists chitosan on its Safer Chemical Ingredient list with a “green circle.” The green circle means “the chemical has been verified to be of low concern based on experimental and modeled data.”
Sustainable Alternative in Green Chemistry Formulations
Due to chitosan’s Green Chemistry pedigree, it has widespread applications in a variety of chemical use cases. We’ve listed a handful below.
Chitosan in Textiles
Because it has a cationically-charged structure, chitosan is naturally bacteriostatic, antimicrobial, and fire retardant. Chitosan prevents the growth of bacterial and fungal microorganisms when applied as a surface treatment to textiles.
When textile manufacturers use chitosan as an antimicrobial, there is reduced or even eliminated need for heavy metal toxins like silver nanoparticles or copper. These metals are not only toxic to human health, but also expensive and environmentally unsound.
Additionally, chitosan is durable. Studies have shown that chitosan applied to clothing can maintain antimicrobial activity through 50 wash cycles. To further increase durability, Tidal Vision has developed crosslinking technology in cellulose and synthetic textiles by binding the chitosan with a proprietary crosslinker to the textile fibers.
Chitosan in Agriculture
Owing to its nontoxic, biodegradable properties, chitosan is useful in a wide range of agricultural applications. It can be used from seed to harvest and beyond. As an addition to agricultural chemical formulations, it works synergistically with other inputs to enhance existing formulations.
As an alternative to toxic pesticides, fungicides, and insecticides, chitosan can be used to provide antimicrobial protection and elicit positive outcomes in crops, like increased production of sap, resin, oils, and plant mass.
Chitosan in Water Treatment
In traditional water treatment applications, it is common to use either polyacrylamides or inorganic metal coagulants like aluminum sulfate to flocculate particles in effluent process water.
Chitosan acetate is a natural, non-toxic flocculant and coagulant that helps to remove suspended solids (SS / TSS), COD (organic matter), and anionic metals from wastewater and stormwater. It is most commonly dosed or injected upstream of a filtration system. Unlike most synthetic chemicals, residual chitosan molecules biodegrade in any environment.
A Greener, More Sustainable Way Forward
To support our mission at Tidal Vision of creating positive and systemic environmental impact, we are constantly striving to make chitosan lower cost, more convenient, and higher performing than toxic, synthetic chemicals.
We’re proud to offer a wide range of product solutions that support Green Chemistry principles. You can learn more about our specific product offerings on our Industry pages. Drop us a line if you have any questions!
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