Evaluation of the molecular inclusion process of β-hexachlorocyclohexane in cyclodextrins.

The present work aimed to study the guest-host complexes of β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), a pesticide with high environmental stability that can cause severe health problems, with the most common cyclodextrins (α-, β-, and γ-CDs). The formation reactions of these molecular inclusion complexes were addressed in this research. The multiple minima hypersurface methodology, quantum calculations based on density functional theory and a topological exploration of the electron density based on the quantum theory of atoms in molecules approach were used to characterize the interaction spaces of the pollutant with the three CDs.

Preparation and characterisation of raw chars and physically activated carbons derived from marine Posidonia oceanica (L.) fibres.

Industrial valorisation of low cost and renewable biomass as raw precursor of activated carbon for environmental applications is an interesting alternative to costly commercial activated carbons. In this study, the possible use of Mediterranean, Posidonia oceanica fibrous biomass, as a precursor for chars and physically activated carbons, is investigated. Firstly, the raw marine material was chemically and biochemically characterised throughout dry-basis elemental, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis.