[Studies on the degradation of chitosan films by lysozyme and release of loaded chemicals].

Chitosan films with or without chemicals of interest were prepared and degradation properties of chitosan films of themselves by lysozyme and releases of the loaded chemicals from the films were investigated. Enzymatic degradation rate of the films was dependent on the degree of deacetylation of chitosan used and decreased with an increase in its deacetylation. The acidic conditions accelerated the degradation compared to the neutral pH. Most of the water-soluble chemicals used in the present experiments except Coomassie Brilliant Blue with a strong acidic group and pullulan with a high molecular weight (5.8 x 10(4)-38.0 x 10(4], were rapidly released from the films within 1 h. The two chemicals described above were released only in the presence of lysozyme, and their release rates were controlled by the degradation rate of the films.