Research project title

Development of analytical assays for chitosan to be used as quality controls

Education level

Master (research-based)

Director/co-director

Director: Marc Lavertu

End of display

June 30, 2026

Areas of expertise

Biomedical engineering

Materials science and technology

Unit(s) and department(s)

Department of Chemical Engineering

Conditions

Send your application to anik.chevrier@polymtl.ca

Detailed description

Our team has been manufacturing chitosan for years but analytical methods need to be developed for potential impurities/allergens.

1) Regulatory agencies have targeted nitrosamine impurities as being undesirable. Since the nitrous acid that is commonly used for chitosan depolymerization is a nitrosating species, a nitrosamine assay is required for the chitosan product.

2) Chitosan is often produced from chitin extracted from crustacean shells and could be allergenic. Methods to detect and potentially destroy tropomyosin, the major allergen in shellfish allergy, are required. These analytical methods could eventually become quality control assays to confirm product safety.

Financing possibility

Project funded by an Alliance/CRSNG/Prima grant