EONANOBIOPS: Chemical Research and Innovative Materials at the Heart of International Training at the Department of Chemical Sciences

From 19 to 21 October 2026, the University of Catania hosted the First Annual Meeting of EONANOBIOPS (Essential Oil-Derived Next Generation Nano-Biopesticides for Sustainable Eco-Friendly Agriculture), a project funded by the European Union under the Interreg NEXT MED programme and coordinated by the Biodiversity and Environmental Research Center (BERC), based in Palestine.

The Department of Chemical Sciences welcomed the international partners for a training day focused on mineral clay-based nanoformulations developed during the project's first year of research.

The activities were coordinated by Professor Serena Riela, the University of Catania's scientific lead for EONANOBIOPS, and involved researchers from the AMOS Clay Lab (Advanced Materials and Organic Synthesis Clay Lab) and Lab CoNaBi, coordinated by Professors Serena Riela and Vera Muccilli, respectively.

Two Laboratories, Complementary Expertise

The project brings together complementary expertise, ranging from the chemical characterization of natural substances to the development of innovative materials for their encapsulation and controlled release.

Lab CoNaBi, with contributions from Professor Vera Muccilli and Nunzio Cardullo, focuses on the study and chemical characterization of essential oils, particularly those extracted from orange and lemon peels. This work also contributes to the valorization of by-products from the citrus-processing industry.

The AMOS Clay Lab develops innovative systems for encapsulating essential oils using mineral clays. These materials can incorporate natural compounds, protect them from degradation and promote their controlled release. Claudia Sciacca and Giuseppe Cinà, the two postdoctoral researchers dedicated to EONANOBIOPS, contribute to these activities through the preparation and characterization of the nanoformulations.

Experimental Training and Characterization Techniques

During the training session, researchers from the partner institutions prepared and characterized nanoformulations based on mineral clays and essential oils, gaining hands-on experience with experimental procedures developed in the Department's laboratories.

The activities provided an opportunity to compare methods and results and share procedures to be implemented in subsequent experiments at the partner institutions.

Part of the day was devoted to the analytical techniques and scientific instrumentation available at the Department for studying essential oils and materials, including:

• Infrared spectroscopy (IR);
• Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR);
• Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA);
• Dynamic light scattering (DLS);
• Zeta potential measurements.

Training Activities Continue in Catania

Over the coming weeks, two Palestinian researchers will continue their training at the Department's laboratories, participating in experimental activities involving the preparation and characterization of the nanoformulations.

The training programme will also include a visit to the University's BRIT facilities to explore the methodologies and instrumentation used in proteomic analyses. These analyses will be carried out in subsequent project phases, with contributions from Professors Vincenzo Cunsolo and Rosaria Saletti, to investigate plant responses to treatments with essential oils and nanoformulations.

Collaborative Research for More Sustainable Agriculture

The training day gave international partners first-hand insight into the Department's research activities, scientific expertise and infrastructure, fostering exchanges between research groups and supporting the planning of future experimental activities.

EONANOBIOPS exemplifies how different areas of chemical research, from the study of natural substances to the development of innovative materials, can be integrated to help identify new solutions for more sustainable agriculture.