Extraction and characterization of Chitin from Lethrinus ornatus (Ornate Emperor) fish scales

Chitin, an amino polysaccharide, is widely found in the exoskeletons of insects, crustacean shells, and fungal cell walls. However, the potential of fish scales—commonly discarded as industrial waste—as an alternative chitin source remains largely unexplored. This present study aimed to extract and characterize chitin from the scales of Lethrinus ornatus (Ornate Emperor). The yield of chitin extraction from L. ornatus scales was 34.4% (±1.5) on a dry weight basis. Structural elucidation through UV-Vis and FTIR spectroscopic analyses revealed the presence of characteristic bands with spectral patterns closely aligned with the literature descriptions. Additionally, SEM studies displayed that the extracted chitin has an amorphous and granular structure. These results indicated that the L. ornatus scales could be used as a novel and alternative source of chitin.