Italian technological district for the engineering of polymeric and composite materials and structures
The project aimed to propose technological solutions to the following issues: biodiversity conservation, food safety, and the efficient use of water resources.
With regard to biodiversity conservation, the project aimed to acquire fundamental data to clarify the key aspects of the Xylella fastidiosa bacterial infection, enabling early diagnosis of its presence and identifying the most appropriate control and containment strategies.
With regard to technological innovations for food safety, analytical methods were developed for the detection of pesticides in specific agri-food matrices (cereals, olive oil).
For the efficient use of water resources, wash water recycling systems were studied, along with the development of alternative sanitization techniques to chlorine (technologies capable of guaranteeing a safe product with high quality standards and eco-sustainable processes), and technologies to extend the shelf life of water.
In order to efficiently use water resources, IMAST’s project activities focused on the development of superabsorbent hydrogels, with high aqueous solution absorption capacity and capable of improving irrigation efficiency in cultivated soils. The gel, mixed with natural soil, in dry form, absorbs irrigation water which is then gradually released into the crop, keeping the soil/substrate adjacent to the roots always moist.