Ricerc@Sapienza

Microalgal harvesting is one of the most challenging processes in the development of algal research and development. Several methods, such as centrifugation, flocculation and filtration, are available at the laboratory scale. However, the requirement for expensive pieces of equipment and the possibility of biomass contamination are recurring gaps that hinder the development of microalgae R and D (research and development) in different parts of the world.

The optimization of phenolic compounds extraction from extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) was achieved applying a Response Surface Methodology. A simple and straightforward method for the extraction of phenolic compounds from EVOO has been optimized in the presence of functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). AuNPs were prepared in the presence of Cysteamine as stabilizing thiol (AuNPs-Cys) in order to obtain a water stable colloidal suspension. The obtained AuNPs-Cys, with mean size of about 10 nm were observed by AFM and used as extracting phase of phenolic compounds from EVOO.