A.1 Analysis and characterization of dyes and cyclodextrins

The objective of this preparatory phase was collecting the necessary information on cyclodextrins and dyes for the proper development of the project and the successful achievement of the objectives.

The wavelengths of the dyes were characterized.

Fabrics of cotton and polyester with and without auxiliary, in three different intensities were stained.

  They were characterized by:

  CIElab coordinates.

•   Lightfastness
•   Washfastness.
•   Rub fastness.

Α-CD, β-CD, γ-CD, 2HP-αCD, 2HP-βCD, 2HP-yCD, DIMEB and TRIMEB: cyclodextrins were characterized. With the dyes by the Job's stoichiometric method .

B. Implementation actions:

The objective of this phase is to define the conditions for forming the inclusion complex between the CDS and the dyes and recover and reverse the process to recover the complexed dye.

B.1 Study of the complexation and recovering of the dyes

The interaction between new substrates (with and without cyclodextrins) and different dyes has been studied in order to improve the waste water decontamination.

In particular we have used as substrate:

1. Chitosan films
2. Chitosan/alginate microparticles
3. Exhausted Olive pomace (residues from olive oil extraction process)

1. Chitosan Films:

Chitosan (CH) is considered a super high-capacity adsorbent for contaminant removal from water due to its ability of binding contaminants through hydroxyl and amino groups on the surface.

The film preparationhasbeencarried out in different ways in order to verify the adsorptionefficiency

Generally, in term of dye removal, in all examined case an efficiency of 100 % has been obtained.

Disperse Blue 73: with 3 g of biosorbent only 8 min were necessary for a complete removal from water. In the same condition the time increases from 8 min to 10 min and 30 min for Disperse Red 167 and Disperse Orange 30, respectively.

The same trend has been observed comparing all examined amount of biosorbent. The Disperse Blue 73 appears as the most efficiently removable, while Disperse Orange 30 is the worst, if small amount of biosorbent was employed the efficiency collapses at about 50%.

The reason for such behavior could be ascribed to the larger number of binding sites on the adsorbent surface available for the dye. 

B.2 Design and installation of the surface for recovering the dyes encapsulated with cyclodextrins

B.2.1. Prototype design

The objective of this phase is to study the feasibility of dye recovered cyclodextrins as feedstock in new dyeing processes.

C.2 Monitoring of the environmental impact of the project actions

C.3 Monitoring of the socio-economic impact of the project actions

The project aims at validating the use of cyclodextrins to encapsulate the dyes and the process of recovering and also monitoring and quantify the properties of the reused dyes in order to be used again in the dyeing process.

In order to measure the socio-economic impact a quantitative comparative study of advantages and savings of the process of dyes recovering and the technology used comparing with the actual situation will be carried out.

During this task the socio-economic impact will be studied comparing the initial situation with the improved one in order to confirm the suitability of the demonstrator and the progress achievements.