The rising demand for chitosan is propelled by its diverse functional properties, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, antimicrobial activity, and non-toxic nature. Its widespread applications include drug delivery systems, wound healing, food preservation, water treatment, and agricultural practices, indicating its indispensability across various fields. However, the escalating utilization of chitosan in global markets for diverse applications has sparked concerns regarding its environmental fate and potential ecological repercussions. Chitosan’s biodegradation in the environment is influenced by several factors, including molecular weight, degree of deacetylation, environmental conditions (such as pH, temperature, and presence of enzymes), and microbial activity. Understanding these factors is crucial for predicting the fate of chitosan in different environmental compartments, such as soil and water. Moreover, the interactions between chitosan and other compounds added in chitosan-based commercial products further affect its degradation kinetics. The review also addresses the toxicity of chitosan towards environmental organisms and ecosystems. While chitosan is generally considered non-toxic, studies have shown varying degrees of toxicity depending on factors such as concentration, particle size, and exposure duration. Additionally, the potential for chitosan to accumulate in the environment and its effects on non-target organisms warrant careful consideration. Thus, the increased use of chitosan presents both opportunities and challenges. While its versatile applications offer numerous benefits, its environmental fate and potential ecological impacts require thorough investigation. This review synthesizes current knowledge on chitosan utilization, biodegradation kinetics, and toxicity profiles, providing insights for future research directions and sustainable utilization practices. Understanding the interplay between chitosan’s properties and environmental processes is essential for harnessing its benefits while minimizing environmental risks.

中文翻译：

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壳聚糖衍生物的环境毒性和生物降解 ： 综合综述


壳聚糖的多种功能特性推动了壳聚糖的需求不断增长，包括生物相容性、生物降解性、抗菌活性和无毒性。它的广泛应用包括药物输送系统、伤口愈合、食品保鲜、水处理和农业实践，表明它在各个领域都不可或缺。然而，壳聚糖在全球市场上用于多种应用的不断升级引发了对其环境命运和潜在生态影响的担忧。壳聚糖在环境中的生物降解受多种因素影响，包括分子量、脱乙酰程度、环境条件（如 pH 值、温度和酶的存在）和微生物活性。了解这些因素对于预测壳聚糖在不同环境区室（如土壤和水）中的命运至关重要。此外，壳聚糖与壳聚糖基商业产品中添加的其他化合物之间的相互作用进一步影响其降解动力学。该综述还讨论了壳聚糖对环境生物和生态系统的毒性。虽然壳聚糖通常被认为是无毒的，但研究表明，根据浓度、颗粒大小和暴露时间等因素，壳聚糖具有不同程度的毒性。此外，壳聚糖在环境中积累的可能性及其对非目标生物体的影响值得仔细考虑。因此，壳聚糖使用的增加既带来了机遇，也带来了挑战。虽然其多功能应用提供了许多好处，但其环境归宿和潜在的生态影响需要彻底调查。 本文综合了当前关于壳聚糖利用、生物降解动力学和毒性特征的知识，为未来的研究方向和可持续利用实践提供了见解。了解壳聚糖的特性与环境过程之间的相互作用，对于利用其优势同时最大限度地降低环境风险至关重要。