Descrizione del progetto
Strutture metallorganiche per concimi sostenibili a base di fosforo
Per dare da mangiare a una crescente popolazione mondiale, gli agricoltori devono impiegare concimi efficienti che solitamente contengono fosforo per riuscire ad aumentare la resa delle colture. La maggior parte del fosforo usato nei concimi proviene dalla fosforite, una risorsa limitata. Per produrre concimi a base di fosforo, le strutture metallorganiche a base di zirconio (Zr-MOF) sono ritenute materiali idonei per estrarre il fosfato dalle acque sia reflue che eutrofizzate, in ragione delle loro vaste aree, della stabilità dell’acqua e della forte affinità con il fosfato. Il progetto PSust-MOF, finanziato dall’UE, è volto a migliorare l’uso circolare dei concimi a base di fosfato. Inoltre il progetto impiegherà l’acqua come mezzo reagente per la sintesi di Zr-MOF compatibile con i requisiti della produzione industriale.
Obiettivo
The efficient use of chemical fertilizers is essential to face the Sustainable Development Goal-2: Zero Hunger. Specifically, phosphorous-fertilizers are mainly produced by mining the non-renewable phosphate rock (PR), with both inefficient production and application processes causing dramatic environmental damages.
A new European fertilizer regulation encourages the development of new strategies driving to a P-circular economy. Phosphate could be recovered from both waste/eutrophicated water to produce P-fertilizers. However, the prevailing recovery rates cannot satisfy the whole P-demand. Thus, novel methods for a more sustainable production of P-fertilizers are also urgently needed.
Zirconium-based Metal-Organic Frameworks (Zr-MOFs) are porous crystalline materials easy to functionalize showing large surface areas, water stability and a strong affinity to phosphate. Hence, they could act as promising P-recovery adsorbents. Besides, they have recently proved to promote the dissolution of highly stable minerals. Thus, they could enhance the dissolution of PR under milder condition, mitigating the environmental risks of PR-mining. Unfortunately, Zr-MOFs are usually prepared using toxic organic solvents, limiting their industrial progress.
The project entitled “Metal-Organic Frameworks as multifunctional materials toward P-sustainability” (PSust-MOF) addresses the greener production Zr-MOFs with controlled particle features by using water as solvent. The main features determining both P-recovery process and promotion of apatite dissolution (main component of PR), will be identified. This knowledge will enable the design of advanced Zr-MOF materials which will be tested, for P-recovery or PR-dissolution, under real conditions. It is expected that the results of the project will not only have a strong impact on P-sustainability. Given the wide-range of applications of MOFs, the greener design of Zr-MOFs will also favour their industrial progress in multiple fields.
Campo scientifico
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinatore
18071 Granada
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