Mercoledì 10 giugno, alle ore 11:30, presso l’Aula 22 del Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, la
Prof.ssa Roselena Faez (Universidade Federal de São Carlos-Araras, Brazil) terrà il seminario dal titolo “Engineering Polysaccharide-Based Fertilizers: From Spray Drying to Prolongated Nutrient Release”.
Modern agriculture must increase food production while reducing nutrient losses and environmental impacts associated with conventional fertilizers, where up to 50–70% of nutrients can be lost through leaching, volatilization, and runoff. Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers (EEFs) offer a promising solution, but the development of sustainable and biodegradable delivery systems remains a key challenge. We present polysaccharide-based nutrient delivery platforms designed as environmentally friendly carriers for controlled nutrient release. Advanced spray-drying approaches using two-fluid and three-fluid nozzles enabled the production of microspheres and core–shell microcapsules with tailored structures and release profiles. Chemical modification of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) via TEMPO-mediated oxidation and EPTMAC etherification was used to tune electrostatic interactions between carrier matrices and nutrient species, thereby enabling precise control of nutrient release behavior. To further prolong release, nutrient-loaded microparticles were incorporated into biodegradable polymer matrices via melt processing, producing macroscopic fertilizer tablets with enhanced performance. Field and soil studies demonstrated the agronomic effectiveness of the materials under realistic conditions.
