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International Journal of Recent Trends in Science and Technology, ISSN 2277-2812 E-ISSN: 2249-8109

Volume 3, Issue 3, 2012 pp 82-84

Short Communication

Antifungal Properties of Gamma-Irradiated Chitosan from Sea Crab Shells

F.C.K. Ocloo¹, A. Adu-Gyamfi¹, E. A. Quarcoo¹, Y. Serfor-Armah², D.K. Asare¹

¹ Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, P.O. Box LG 80, Legon, GHANA.

² National Nuclear Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, P.O. Box LG 80, Legon, GHANA.

Academic Editor:  Dr. Aher K. R.

Chitosan extracted from sea crab shells was used to determine antifungal properties against Aspergillus niger.  Chitosan powder irradiated at 100 kGy and dissolved in 1 % acetic acid (v/v) with pH adjusted to approximately 6.0 was used in preparing chitosan concentrations of 2 %, 1.5 %, 1 % and 0.5 %. The agar dilution method was used to test the antifungal activity of the various chitosan solutions at concentrations of 0.20 %, 0.15 %, 0.10 % and 0.05 %.   Both media containing irradiated and unirradiated chitosan inhibited the mycelial growth of Aspergillus niger and the degree of inhibition was dependent on the concentration of the chitosan in the fungal growth medium. Results show that the media containing irradiated chitosan inhibited the mycelia growth of Aspergillus niger to a greater extent than the media containing unirradiated chitosan.