Working on the design and synthesis of more environmental friendly chemical products, the Sustainable Chemistry Laboratory of CIRI Energy and Environment has developed expertise on alternative chemicals characterized by both high biodegradability and good performance. These products and their precursors are are synthesised by using cheap building blocks from renewable resources and have low environmental impact and low toxicity.
Laboratories of the Green Chemistry Operative Unit of CIRI ENA
The administration of water-soluble metal complexes for providing microelements to plants, conveying them as water-soluble complexes, is widely documented. The proposed ligands, synthesised by applying sustainable chemistry methods, and specifically the use of renewable sources, have been designed to solve environmental compatibility issues of some commonly used ligands.
Applications in the agricultural sector on various types of crops, possible applications also in other industrial sectors, among which the chemical and manufacturing one.
Synthesis of molecules from waste materials
Synthesis of biodegradable ligands for agriculture
A collaboration with VALAGRO SPA of Piazzano di Atessa (CH), leader in the sector of fertilisers and formulations for agriculture, new highly biodegradable ligands for agricultural use were designed. The application consists in the synthesis of various ligands containing sulfonate groups and/or amino acids and in the subsequent preparation of complexes with metal cations such as Iron, Zinc, Manganese. The starting materials are, as much as possible, substances obtained from renewable sources (biomass). Some of the most promising complexes are then assessed from the point of view of biodegradability. The industrial partner will assess effectiveness in agricultural use and potential improvements compared to currently used products. Development,synthesis and assessment of new classes of ligands for agricultural use from renewable sources.
Valagro SpA, Piazzano di Atessa (CH). Azienda multinazionale leader nel settore agrochimico.
Alessandro Biasone, Giusto Cianci, Donata Di Tommaso, Alberto Piaggesi, Emilio Tagliavini , Paola Galletti, Fabio Moretti, J. Chrom. A 1282 (2013) 142– 152.
Processes for the production of high biodegradability chemical products starting from biomass