Definition of Terms

Carbon
Carbon is an abundant nonmetallic element that occurs in many inorganic and in all
organic compounds, exists freely in amorphous, graphite, and diamond forms and as a
constituent of coal, limestone, and petroleum, and is capable of chemical self-bonding to form an
enormous number of chemically, biologically, and commercially important molecules. Other
significant allotropes include fullerenes and nanotubes.
Carbon is unique in its chemical properties because it forms a number of components
superior than the total addition of all the other elements in combination with each other.
In this study, carbon will be used to coat the extracted chitin.
Chitin
Chitin is the second most abundant biopolymer in nature, where it protects crustaceans,
parasites, fungi, and other pathogens from the adverse effects of their environments, hosts, or
both. It is a glucose-based unbranched polysaccharide widely distributed in nature as the
principal component of exoskeletons of crustaceans and insects as well as of cell walls of some
bacteria and fungi.
In this study, chitin will be used as an independent variable. This will be coated with
carbon and will be used as a chelating agent to remediate mercury contaminated water.
Chelate

A chelate is a chemical compound composed of a metal ion and a chelating agent. A

chelating agent is a substance whose molecules can form several bonds to a single metal ion. In
other words, a chelating agent is a multidentate ligand.
The chelating agent in this study is the carbon coated chitin extract.
Mercury
Mercury, also known as quicksilver, is a naturally-occurring metal that is toxic to
living organisms. Metallic or elemental mercury an odorless, shiny, silver-white liquid is
commonly used in thermometers, barometers and fluorescent light bulbs. Metallic mercury is
extremely dangerous with a few drops generating enough fumes to contaminate the air in a room.
In our study, mercury is used as the dependent variable. It is the heavy metal that is to be
remediated by the chitin extract.

References
Sahelian,

R.M.D.(2015),

Chitin

health

benefit.

Retrieved

from

Retrieved

from

http://www.raysahelian.com/chitin.html
Scifun

(n.d),

Chelates

and

Chelating

Agents.

http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/chemweek/chelates/chelates.html
Niehs

(n.d),

Mercury.

Retrieved

from

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/mercury/index.cfm
Lenntech (n.d), Carbon (C) - Chemical properties, Health and Environmental effects. Retrieved
from http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/c.htm
Biology-Online (n.d.), Carbon. Retrieved from http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Carbon