Depolymerization of chitosan-metal complexes via a solution plasma technique.

Chitosan-metal complexes were depolymerized under acidic conditions using a solution plasma system. Four different types of metal ions, including Ag(+), Zn(2+), Cu(2+), and Fe(3+) ions, were added to the chitosan solution at a metal-to-chitosan molar ratio of 1:8. The depolymerization rate was affected by the types of metal ions that form complexes with chitosan.