Contacts:
Tel: 0502219500
e-mail: angelica.mero@phd.unipi.it
Supervisors:
Prof. Christian Silvio Pomelli, Dott.ssa Felicia D’Andrea
phD project Title:
Valorisation of biomass waste by a combined used of ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs)
Research summary:
The main aim of my PhD work is to develop a safe multi-stage strategy to fully valorise biomass waste (i.e. chestnut shells, etc…), in order to reduce the high amount of waste to be disposed and at the same time to find new necessary renewable resources due to the increasing demand for chemicals and fuels. More in details, this valorization will be performed through the extraction of high added value bioactive compounds (such as polyphenols, compounds that may help in the prevention of several diseases as they possess important biological properties such as anti-inflammatory, antiviral, analgesic, anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial (antifungal and antiviral) and antioxidant activities) or components with attractive biomedical application (such as cellulose, a natural polymer adaptable for wound dressing, medical implants, vascular graft, scaffolds for tissue engineering and drug delivery systems or lignin, phenolic macromolecule usable as renewable feedstock for sustainable production of aromatic chemicals). Moreover, the goal of the project is the employment of green solvents, like ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DES), as extracting medium. These solvents are considered valid green alternatives to organic solvents, that present inherent toxicity and high volatility. They also present unique suitable properties for extraction processes, including good solvent power towards organic, inorganic and polymeric compounds, high thermal and chemical stability, negligible vapour pressure, meanwhile offering easy containment, product recovery and recycling ability. In the work, particular attention will be given to sustainable ILs (defined Bio-ILs), composed by renewable and biocompatible compounds and to NADES (natural deep eutectic solvents) obtained by combining molecules abundantly present in nature.
Oral communications at congress:
5th Central and Eastern European Conference on Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry (CEEC-TAC) and 14th Mediterranean Conference on Calorimetry and Thermal Analysis (Medicta2019), Roma, 27-30 agosto 2019. A. Mero, J. Gonzàles Rivera, E. Husanu, C. Ferrari, C. Duce, M. R. Tinè, C. S. Pomelli, L. Gazzelli. Thermoanalytical characterization and microwave heating response of deep eutectic solvents.
ILSEPT – 4th International Conference on Ionic Liquids in Separation and Purification Technology, Sitges, 8-11 settembre 2019.A. Mero, J. Gonzàles Rivera, E. Husanu, L. Gazzelli, C. Chiappe. Valorisation of biomass waste by a combined use of ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs).
Poster communications at congress:
CFF2019 (Chemistry for the future International Conference), Pisa, 3-5 luglio 2019. A.Mero, E. Husanu, J. Gonzàles Rivera, L. Gazzelli, F. D’Andrea, C. Pomelli, C. Chiappe. Valorisation of chestnut shells by a combined use of ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs).