Interuniversity Consortium “Chemistry for the Environment” (INCA): Interuniversity Consortium “Chemistry for the Environment” (INCA) A set of initiatives in the field of Sustainable Development in the frame of the FP7. Prof. Pietro Tundo – INCA’s President. Suschem MS Mirror Group. Bruxelles 7-8 March 2007


Managerial Structure to meet the opportunities of the FP7: Managerial Structure to meet the opportunities of the FP7 INCA is organising three main Working Groups BIOCHEMISTRY: Production of bioenergy and chemical compound with high added value. GLOBAL CHEM: Acquisition of a deeper knowledge on the transformations that natural compounds and xenobiotics undergo on soils, sediments and waters. GREEN CHEMISTRY: Green additives; Ionic liquids - properties and synthetic applications; Eco-efficient catalysis.


Slide3: WASTE BIOMASS Primary Treatment CHEMICALS SUGARS Fermentation ETOH BM CO2 BORL ENERGY Biosyngas OIL CROPS BM OIL Transeterif. BIODIESEL MARKET MARKET GLYCERINE Biotransf. ALGAE BIOCHEMISTRY Brown: Bologna, Viterbo Red: Verona, Rome, Bologna, Genoa Blue: Verona, Viterbo Green: Viterbo, Bologna, Genoa


Slide4: BIOCHEMISTRY


Slide5: “Natural Chemical Transformation to Contrast Global Changes and Environmental Pollution” The Working Group stems out from the consideration that the global organic carbon turnover is 120 x 1015g/year due to plant and soil respiration. The emission of CO2 from soils is 60 x 1015g/year while that from fossil fuel combustion is only 6 x 1015g/year. Therefore a reduction of 10% of the global emissions from soil would be sufficient to offset that from fossil fuels and buffer the increase of the major GHG in the atmosphere. STRATEGIC OBJETIVS Increase the present scarse knowledge on carbon and nitrogen cycles in soils, sediments and surface waters in order to develop chemical technologies to control and reduce GHG emissions from the biosphere. The same knowledge acquisiton is the basis for new sustainable and cost efficient technologies for the remediation of contaminated soil sites and water bodies. GLOBAL-CHEM


Slide6: SUBGROUPS Role of bioavalable heavy metals Transformation and stabilization of natural organic matter and agro-food biomasses generated by biorefineries Biotic and abiotic reactions of xenobiotics TECHNOLOGIES TO BE DEVELOPED BASED ON CHEMICAL SCIENCES 1. New, water-based, and eco-compatible inorganic and biomimetic catalysts for multiphase reactions in complex natural systems. 2. Transformation of biomasses byproducts to increase carbon stabilization in soils and sediments for sustainable biorefinery productions. 3. Stabilization of biomasses from bio-gas energy plants for safe recycling in the environment 4. Accelarated soil and water remediation methods mimicking natural transformation processes. 5. Chemiometric handling of multiple data matrices from complex natural systems GLOBAL-CHEM


GREEN CHEMISTRY: Green additives: Call: NMP-2007-3.4-2 Innovative pathways in synthesis - improving efficiency by smart synthesis, design and reduction of the number of reaction steps Title : Application and production of alternative feedstocks, new reaction media and reaction conditions Subjects: New solvents Plasticisers Materials for the protection of the cultural heritage Dye-stuff industry Perfumes GREEN CHEMISTRY: Green additives


GREEN CHEMISTRY: Ionic Liquids: GREEN CHEMISTRY: Ionic Liquids Call: NMP-2007-2.4-2 Nanostructured catalysts with tailor-made functional surfaces Title: Solid Functional Ionic Materials (FIM) and Functional Ionic Phases (FIP) as heterogeneous catalysts for the manufacture of high added-value chemicals Subjects: 1- development of new heterogeneous conditions for catalysis, by supporting catalytically active anions or cations on solid matrices or membranes via ionic binding. 2- Investigations focused on chiral catalysts in order to develop new environmentally friendly protocols for asymmetric catalysis. 3- Application of flow reactor techniques to the newly generated FIM and FIP


Slide9: GREEN CHEMISTRY: Ecoefficient Catalysis Call: NMP-2007-2.4-2 Nanostructured catalysts with tailor-made functional surfaces Subjects 1 - Making highly dispersed organic and metal catalysts supported on ceramic or glassy foams anchored onto the microchannels of microstructured reactors 2 - Developing monolithic microreactors to be applied in continuous flow processes 3 – Study and optimization of eco-efficient oxidative reactions through microreactors, theoretical evaluation and process engineering