Giangiacomo Torri

Structure and Function of Stony Coral Intraskeletal Polysaccharides

Polysaccharides represent a main weight fraction of the intraskeletal organic matrix of corals, but their structure, as well as their function in the calcification process, has been poorly investigated. This communication shows by a combination of techniques (nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, and monosaccharide composition) that their key component is a 1→3 β-d glucuronic acid polymer and evidences its influence in vitro in the calcification process.

Silica Materials Containing Cyclodextrin for Pollutant Removal

This chapter reviews the use of cyclodextrin-silica hybrid systems and cyclodextrin-functionalized silica used as adsorbents or filters for the removal of inorganic and organic pollutants from aqueous solutions in solid-phase extraction and adsorption-oriented processes. Actually, there is a need to develop efficient processes for the synthesis and application of multifunctional silica-based materials for pollutant removal by adsorption or filtration, and for sample purification and concentration using solid-phase extraction.

Hemp-Based Materials for Metal Removal

With the increasing focus on renewable materials and sustainability issues, the development of non-conventional materials from natural resources and possessing complexing properties is currently an area of extensive research due to their potential applications in biosorption processes for pollutant removal. Among them, the hemp plant, an annual high yielding industrial crop grown for its fibres and seeds, is one of the most promising material for biosorption of metal ions from diluted waste streams. In this chapter, an extensive list of hemp-based biosorbent literature has been compiled and discussed. After a brief description of hemp and its properties and applications, the chapter gives a general overview of liquid-solid biosorption processes for metal removal from aqueous solutions onto hemp-based materials.

Insoluble Polymers with High Amounts of ßCD: Characterization and Adsorption Capacity

New insoluble gels with a high content of sCD have been synthesized and their adsorption capacity compared to those of known products.