Chitin granular

The Perchlorate salt, of 85% deacetylated chitin, a cream-colored, granular, free-flowing expl product(with an acid content of 96% theoretical, ealed as perchloric acid), was prepd by Wolfrom et al(Ref 6) by a method considered an extension of the method described by Hofmann et al(Ref 2). This salt, sol in 100% HN03, detonated(leaving considerable carbon residue) when heated confined over an open flame Refs l)Beil-not found 2)K.A.Kofmann et al, Ber 43, 1080(1910) 3)G.W.Rigby, USP 2040879(1936) CA 30, 4598(1936) 4)K. 

Abstract. The binding properties of granular alginic acid(H-alg.) and chitin to iodine, bromine, cadmium ion, calcium ion and cholesterol were investigated. Chitin-iodine and chitin-bromine compounds closely resemble those of H-alg. The amount of iodine included by these polysaccharides increased with a decrease in the concentration of potassium iodide (KI). The number of sugar residues bound to one iodine molecule extrapolated to 0 g of KI was around 6.0 for H-alg. and 6.4 for chitin. These saccharides, which do not form a gel in water, were found to also absorb KI and radioactive iodide or iodine in aqueous solution. H-alg. did not show as much affinity to cadmium ion and calcium ion and cholesterol in iso-propyl alcohol as metal-alginates. 

Figure 4 shows the porous structure of iodine-poly saccharide. The microscopic structure of chitin is very similar to that of granular alginic acid. 

Our studies utilize granular chitin (lOg/L) from Sigma Chemical Company, St. Louis, MO in laboratory aquaria containing either sterilized Galveston Bay water, or "Instant Ocean" salt water at salinities of 5-15 o/oo and at temperatures of 23°C( 2 ). Vj cholerae strains were cultured in trypticase soy broth (Difco) for 24 hours and each aquarium was inoculated with 2 ml of the broth culture. Samples were taken and serial dilution cultures made at two day intervals after daily samples for the first 8 days. Representative results of counts with and without sediment in microcosms, in the absence of added chitin are presented in Figures 3 and 4. Preliminary testing to date does not permit complete analysis, but indicates that chitin extends the recoverability of cholerae with or without sediment. 

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