Abstract
Chitin and chitosan were hydrolyzed by hydrochloric acid and by formic acid employing sonolysis concomitantly, and the produced oligosaccharides and degraded polysassharides in the degraded fluid were analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). Effect of sonication on the produced amount of oligosaccharides obtained by the degradation was investigated in relation with ultrasound frequency. The degree of deacetylation of (GlcNAc)_n of the produced oligosaccharides and the molecular weight of degraded polysaccharides were also investigated. The positive effects of sonication on production of these oligomers and on degradation of polysaccharides were observed most strongly for 45kHz ultrasonic irradiation, which was in accordance with OH radical forming ability in Fricke solution.
