ISSN 1017-2548(Print)
ISSN 2234-8530(Online)
Volume 45, Number 4
JKCSEZ 45(4)
August 20, 2001 

The water soluble carboxymethyl-chitin (CM-chitin) has been well known to be very useful to the cosmetic field as a moisturizer, a smoothener, a cell activater and a cleaner for face skin conditioning. In this study, the preparation process of CM-chitin was simplified with elimination of some procedures in the conventional method. The chitin powder was mixed with sodium hydroxide solution. And then a mixture of sodium monochloroacetate (or monochloroacetic acid) and isopropyl alcohol (or a mixed solution with water and isopropyl alcohol) was added to thorough the agitation and the freezing during 16 hours. The CM-chitin with a high degree of substitution by the improved process was obtained.