09-02-2022

PROMETE and SISTEMI FUTURA together for the monitoring and controlling the emissions of maritime traffic in the Gulf of Naples

A new experimental program of PROMETE is born, with the aim of contributing to the surveillance of the environment and the territory in the field of detection of emissions produced by maritime traffic, starting from the precise knowledge of the impact of naval transit on the coastal territory in the area of the Gulf of Naples and Pozzuoli. The collaboration with SISTEMI FUTURA proposes to leverage the specificity of the proprietary system CLIMAVIA, of the Roman company, in detecting in a timely manner and with high frequency meteoclimatic parameters such as temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, risk of fog and haze, rain, hail risk, wind (intensity, direction and gusts) that, together with data recorded by optical sensors on the values of particulate matter (PM10, PM2,5, PM1.0) and using predictive models, will allow to develop accurate forecasts of air pollution in coastal areas.
Alessia Cajora, our chemical engineer, will participate in this activity, already engaged in R&D activities concerning the study of the environmental impact of maritime traffic on the region of Campania .

Info: Alessia Cajora Tel.: +39.081.056851 cajora@promete.it

19-01-2022

EVENT: SiCon 2022 - WORKSHOP SUI SITI CONTAMINAT ORGANIZED by UNIBS

BRESCIA - 9/11 FEBRUARY 2022
The scientific committee of SiCon selected PROMETE for the presentation of a report on the hyperoxygenation with nanobubbles in groundwater remediation:
Speakers: Alessia Cajora
Talk: BONIFICATION FROM HYDROCARBONS, MTBE and ETBE in FLOOD WATER with HYPEROXYGENATION technique.
SiCon is organized by the Sanitary-Environmental Engineering groups of theUniversità degli Studi di Brescia, , University of Catania and Sapienza Università di Roma, in collaboration with ANDIS (National Association of Sanitary-Environmental Engineering), GITISA (Italian Group of Sanitary-Environmental Engineering) and CSISA Onlus Association (Centro Studi Ingegneria Sanitaria Ambientale).
link: https://siconsiticontaminati.it/

09-12-2021

Preliminary tests for monitoring cortisol in buffalo milk
 

Promete has recently completed a preliminary activity for the realization of a portable biosensor for the monitoring of cortisol hormone in buffalo milk, as part of an experimental thesis for the master degree in Science and Technology of Animal Production (Dept. of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II - UNINA). For the functionalization of the quartz crystal of the Quartz Crystal Microbalance Eureka (Bioage Srl) Trylight has been used, activating of antibodies following the method developed by the research group of Prof. Raffaele Velotta of the Dept. of Physical Sciences, UNINA (Della Ventura, B., et al. Biomed. Opt. Express 2, 3223-3231 (2011).

20-10-2021

PROMETE tests for AcquaPhi AG (Switzerland)
 

AcquaPhi is an ecological device for the ennoblement of ordinary water, invention of the German researcher Eng. Christian Lange.

The water flows in a pipe over 3 meters long that surrounds the cone (patented) inside, whose structure is based on natural geometric criteria and purely physical, not chemical actions; therefore AcquaPhi is 100% maintenance-free, requires no electricity or additives, and is CO2-neutral.

In the process, water molecules aggregate and form dissipative structures to which mainly positive ions such as calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+) and the hydrogen ion (H+) bind. Deposits and fouling are significantly reduced.

PROMETE has conducted the tests showing such increases in pH and dissolved oxygen, and the significant reduction in limescale deposits.

https://acquaphi.com/presse_kalk/

 Elaheh Allahyari, physicist of PROMETE, advisor of the experimental thesis of the candidate Alessandra Testa " Masters degree in ICT technologies for animal production - preliminary tests for the realization of a portable bionsensor for the monitoring of cortisol in buffalo milk". Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, degree course in Science and Technology of Animal Production.  Supervisors: Chiar.mo Prof. Leopoldo Angrisani and Prof. Francesco Bonavolontà.

 Alessia Cajora, chemical engineer at PROMETE, advisor of the thesis of candidate Giovanna Schiavone "Contribution of maritime shipping to the quality of air in channel of Procida"; Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials and Industrial Production, Master's Degree Course in Chemical Engineering.  Supervisor: Prof. Francesco di Natale

Trylight: an innovative Promete’s product

Sensitivity and selectivity to a targeted molecule make a biosensor function successfully as a diagnostic device. Whereas sensitivity is designated by the detection limit, selectivity refers to the ability of discerning only a specific target molecule. To accomplish this goal biosensors’ surface needs to be functionalised with receptors that can effectively capture only the target molecules, and among techniques to functionalize biosensors’ surface, the high selectivity and affinity to targets make antibodies a sensing material to serve this purpose. Antibodies have regions known as antigen-binding sites, which have a selective affinity to specific molecules, and through which the antibody recognises and binds to its target molecule.

The process of immobilising antibodies onto the sensor surface is complicated, and with this aim the Photochemical Immobilization Technique (PIT) has been developed as a functionalization method able to tether antibodies (Abs) on metal surfaces (such as gold or other bio-compatible metals) in a proper orientation that is with their binding sites well exposed to the environment. This strategy is based on the selective photochemical reduction of disulfide bridges in immunoglobulins (Ig) produced by UV activation of near aromatic amino acid. Briefly, PIT is based on the selective photoreduction of disulphide bridges produced by the UV activation of the trp/cys-cys by means of a Trylight lamp. The UV photon energy is adsorbed by tryptophan and transferred to near electrophilic species like the close cys-cys resulting in the cleavage of the disulphide bridge and in the formation of new reduced thiol (SH) groups able to bind. Considering that the triad of residues trp/cys-cys can be found in every Ig, the PIT is applicable in a wide range of fields. 

In this context, PROMETE together with Procom – a small company with expertise in UV lamps – designed and patented Trylight

an easy-to-use tool for carrying out PIT as an effective way to tether antibodies on any thiol-reactive surface thus, the majority of the immunosensing platforms can take advantage of it: SPR (Surface Plasmon Resonance), QCM (Quartz Crystal Microbalance), Magnetoelastic Sensor, Gold nanoparticles, MEF (Metal Enhanced Fluorescence) Impedance Sensors.