@article{Caccavo2017b,

title = {HPMC-Based Granules for Prolonged Release of Phytostrengtheners in Agriculture},

author = {Diego Caccavo and Sara Cascone and Pietro Apicella and Gaetano Lamberti and Anna Angela Barba},

url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00986445.2017.1362398},

doi = {10.1080/00986445.2017.1362398 },

issn = {0098-6445},

year  = {2017},

date = {2017-12-01},

journal = {Chemical Engineering Communications},

volume = {204},

number = {12},

pages = {1333-1340},

abstract = {One of the main aim in agriculture is to guarantee soil wellness, which is a fundamental requirement to produce high quality crops with high yields. Focused on this aim, periodical administrations of nutrients or phytostrengtheners are often necessary. The most relevant disadvantages of these administrations are the high dosage number required and the low availability of the substance within the soil. For these reasons, a crucial goal to increase the economic and environmental sustainability of the cultivation process is to reduce the dosage number, which can be obtained increasing the active substance availability in the soil. A granular HPMC (HydroxyPropyl MethylCellulose) matrix, produced using the wet granulation process, was used to encapsulate a phytostrengthener and to guarantee its controlled release. The granular product was characterized in terms of granules properties and phytostrengtheners leaching within the soil. The results showed good flowability and mechanical properties of the granules as well as the possibility to reduce the product leaching with the phytostrengtheners encapsulation in the HPMC matrices.},

keywords = {Granulation, HPMC},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Apicella2016,

title = {Iron Chelates: Production Processes and Reaction Evolution Analysis},

author = {Pietro Apicella and Sara Cascone and Felice De Santis and Gaetano Lamberti },

url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00986445.2015.1114476?journalCode=gcec20},

doi = {10.1080/00986445.2015.1114476},

year  = {2016},

date = {2016-01-16},

journal = {Chemical Engineering Communications},

abstract = {Nowadays, fertilization using synthetic chelates is the most common technique to solve the iron chlorosis, a disease which affects the plants growth. The ethylenediamine-N,N’-bis(o-hydroxyphenyl) acetic acid (EDDHA) is among the most efficient iron chelating agents. To produce EDDHA, a reaction has been performed using as reactants: phenol, ethylenediamine, glyoxylic acid, and sodium hydroxide. To study the reaction kinetics, samples have been withdrawn from the reactor during the reaction and the kinetics has been quantified, evaluating the yield evolution during the reaction phase. This study has been useful to optimize the reaction time. Then, a catalyst has been added to the reaction mixture, to analyze its effect on the reaction evolution. Comparing the reaction evolution of the non-catalyzed and the catalyzed reaction protocols, two main results have to be highlighted: the time to reach the final yield is lower than the one proposed in literature and the used catalyst has a minimum effect on the reaction rate.},

keywords = {Chelating Agents},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Caccavo2015,

title = {Hydrogel-based Granular Phytostrengtheners for Prolonged Release: Production and Characterization},

author = { Diego Caccavo and Sara Cascone and Maria Chiara Amoroso and Pietro Apicella and Gaetano Lamberti and Anna Angela Barba},

url = {http://www.aidic.it/cet/15/44/040.pdf},

doi = {10.3303/CET1544040},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-01-01},

journal = {Chemical Engineering Transaction},

volume = {44},

pages = {235--240},

abstract = {Soil wellness is an indispensable requirement to obtain fruits and vegetables with finest quality and with high yields. To the purpose, periodical administrations of nutrients, as well as phytostrengtheners could be required. Crucial goals to maximize the economic and environmental sustainability of the whole cultivation are the decrease of the dosages number together with the increase of the active substance availability within the soil. With these aims a controlled release phytostrengtheners encapsulated in a granular Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose matrix has been developed exploiting the wet granulation process. The granular product has been analyzed in terms of Particle Size Distribution (PSD), morphology and flowability. The results showed the effectiveness of the granulation process and the good flowability of the granules, highly desirable features for the product handling and commercialization.},

keywords = {Granulation, Hydrogel Characterization, Tecnagri},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Cascone2015,

title = {Optimization of Chelates Production Process for Agricultural Administration of Inorganic Micronutrients},

author = { Sara Cascone and Pietro Apicella and Diego Caccavo and Gaetano Lamberti and Anna Angela Barba},

url = {http://www.aidic.it/cet/15/44/037.pdf},

doi = {10.3303/CET1544037},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-01-01},

journal = {Chemical Engineering Transaction},

volume = {44},

pages = {217--222},

abstract = {The iron chlorosis is one of the most diffused plant disease, which affects their growth and reduces the yield of harvests. This disease is caused by the iron deficiency and it is highlighted by the progressive yellowing of plants due to the reduction of chlorophyll production. The most efficient and diffused therapy against the iron chlorosis is the use of chelating agents and, among them, the o,o-EDDHA/Fe3+, the most stable isomer of EDDHA, is the most used due to its capacity to guarantee a prolonged treatment. The aim of this work is to develop a production process environment friendly, based on the recovering and recycling of organic solvents to minimize the waste produced. The feed organic solvents ratio has been varied evaluating the synthesis yield and the percentage of o,o-EDDHA/Fe3+ produced to identify the best feeding conditions. Several products have been then tested on lettuce plants to determine their usability.},

keywords = {Chelating Agents, Tecnagri},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Apicella2009,

title = {Canditura, dall’arte alla scienza},

author = { Pietro Apicella and Gaetano Lamberti and Giuseppe Titomanlio},

year  = {2009},

date = {2009-01-01},

journal = {Tecnologie alimentari},

volume = {Gennaio-Fe},

pages = {24--26},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}