Exuviae of Tenebrio molitor Larvae as a Source of Chitosan: Characterisation and Possible Applications

Biopolymers have gained significant attention due to their environmental advantages, with insects emerging as a promising but underutilized source of chitin and chitosan. In this study, chitosan was extracted from the larval exuviae of Tenebrio molitor through sequential demineralization, deproteinization, and deacetylation steps. For selected analyses, the extracted chitosan was further purified via reprecipitation from an acid solution using a basic precipitant (1 M NaOH). Chitosan was then characterized using chemical and instrumental methods. The results indicated that the chitosan had a medium degree of deacetylation (72.27%) and viscosity-average molecular weight (612 kDa), along with minimal ash (0.33%) and amino acid (0.14%) content, suggesting high product quality. FTIR analysis identified characteristic functional groups present, and SEM analysis highlighted a fibrous and porous microstructure in the purified chitosan. The prepared films exhibited favorable properties, including low thickness (0.0197 mm), high swelling degree (335.07%), moderate water solubility (46.99%), and moisture content of 32.39%, supporting their practical applicability. T. molitor exuviae thus represents a sustainable and environmentally friendly source of high-quality chitosan, with beneficial structural and functional properties, supporting its use in a wide array of value-added applications.