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Massimo Monteleone
Ruolo
Professore Associato
Organizzazione
Università degli Studi di Foggia
Dipartimento
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, degli Alimenti e dell'Ambiente
Area Scientifica
Area 07 - Scienze agrarie e veterinarie
Settore Scientifico Disciplinare
AGR/02 - Agronomia e Coltivazioni Erbacee
Settore ERC 1° livello
Non Disponibile
Settore ERC 2° livello
Non Disponibile
Settore ERC 3° livello
Non Disponibile
ZnO nanocrystals of different shapes and sizes have been synthesized using an innovative, simple and efficient dry reactive milling methodology using Zn(NO3)2 and various polysaccharides as sacrificial templates. Optimum results were achieved using extracted agar from the red seaweed Gracilaria gracilis. Upon template removal after calcination at 600ºC, the protocol gave rise to a range of porous metal oxide nanomaterials of different shapes and nanoparticle sizes which were found to have excelling photocatalytic properties in aqueous phenol degradation as compared to commercial P25 Evonik titania.
In recent years seaweeds have increasingly attracted interest in the search for new drugs and have been shown to be a primary source of bioactive natural compounds and biomaterials. In the present investigation, the biochemical composition of the red seaweed Gracilaria gracilis, collected seasonally in the Lesina Lagoon (Southern Adriatic Sea, Lesina, Italy), was assayed by means of advanced analytical techniques, such as gas-chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and spectrophotometric tests. In particular, analysis of lipids, fatty acids, sterols, proteins, phycobiliproteins and carbohydrates as well as phenolic content, antioxidant and radical scavenging activity were performed. In winter extracts of G. gracilis, a high content of R-phycoerythrin together with other valuable products such as arachidonic acid (PUFA ω-6), proteins and carbohydrates was observed. High antioxidant and radical scavenging activities were also detected in summer extracts of the seaweed together with a high content of total phenols. In conclusion, this study points out the possibility of using Gracilaria gracilis as a multi products source for biotechnological, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications even although more investigations are required for separating, purifying and characterizing these bioactive compounds.
The project is aimed at developing the research potential of the University of Foggia (UFG); three parallel strategic pathways are planned: improving the research activities through an interdisciplinary approach (“bonding” by research integration inside UFG); consolidating a critical mass of researchers (“bridging” by recruitment outside UFG); expanding the research network through large and qualified scientific and non-scientific collaborations (“linking” through two-way secondment collaborations and institutional partnerships). Other, equally relevant, complementary actions are included: upgrading the R&D facilities; dissemination and promotional activities; research evaluation. One major strength of the proposal is its unusual, high level of integration between the two major drivers of scientific and technological innovation: “research community” and “local stakeholders”. The world energy economy is currently undergoing a critical period of transformation in technology, governance, social and economic values of energy. A new economics of energy is heralded by national and international negotiations and the assumption that economic growth can be supported largely by fossil fuels is fading rapidly. To face such challenges and exploit new opportunities it is imperative to develop novel, renewable sources of energy, be selected in dependence of cultural, social, economic and environmental conditions of the specific regions. “Agro-energy” is the topic addressed by the project: obtaining renewable energy through productive activities complementary to farming. The project aims at building up a methodology to reconcile energy production with the ecological harmony and the cultural heritage of the most relevant rural areas of Southern Europe. This project strives to work out models of sustainable dispersed bioenergy generation and proximal energy consumption. A passionate debate is raging around agro-energy. Someone maintains the position of fossil energy as more efficient than bioenergy and claims that “producing feedstock for energy rather than food is a crime against humanity”. In contrast, others support the ecological validity of agro-energy production. A trade-off can be found in order to secure a fully sustainable technological development which does not affects the cultural heritage, the territory and the landscape.
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