Extraction and Physicochemical Characterization of Chitin from Galeodes araneoides (Pallas, 1772) (Arachnida: Solifugae)

: Chitin is a biomaterial which has a high potential of use in many areas of technology. It is found as a structural material in the outer skeletons of arthropods, the cell walls of mushrooms, and the shells of marine invertebrates. Chitin is the most abundant biopolymer in nature after cellulose and contains nitrogen in its structure. In recent years, apart from traditional chitin sources, insects, arachnids, coral/crustacean eggs and even bat guano have been reported as alternative chitin sources. In this study, chitin was first extracted from external skeleton of a solifugids species, Galeodes araneoides (Pallas, 1772) and the isolated chitin was characterized by SEM, FTIR, XRD, and TGA. The obtained chitin has been found to have high thermal stability, nanofiber and nanoporous surface, and alpha form and it is suggested that it can be an alternative chitin source.