The project in a nutshell

PHENOCYCLES is a research project devoted to explore and develop different possible applications of natural polyphenols (PPs) extracted from agro-industrial wastes (grape, apple and berry pomace) and weeds with medicinal properties.

PHENOCYCLES is addressing the environmental concern derived from agro-industrial wastes proposing their exploitation for obtaining important bioactive molecules  to be utilized for different purposes, with a typical circular economy approach.

PPs will be purified/fractionated with pilot-scale nano/ultrafiltration membranes to recover different PP fractions, to be employed in four distinct sectors:

 Human Health: synthesis of substances for photodynamic therapy (PDT) and drug delivery (DD), development of innovative phytocarrier systems, formulation of PP loaded micro/nano-scale systems, development of new food supplements (nutraceutics), and hypoallergenic cosmetics.

 Plant Production: PP-based nanomaterials for plant protection against soil-borne pests, to increase plant resistance to stresses, impacting on plant-organisms’ trophic interactions.

 Environment Protection: use of PP as sensitizer or intermediate in the synthesis of materials for water disinfection and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs).

 Material Sciences: synthesis of metal based oxide nanostructures useful for photocatalytic applications.