Presidente

Alberto FIGOLI

Contact
Tel.: 0984.841437-460 – 492027
Fax : 0984.467688
E-mail: presidenza.areacs(AT)cnr.it
E-mail: alberto.figoli(AT)cnr.it
E-mail: segreteria.areacs(AT)cnr.it

PEC: protocollo.adrcs(AT)pec.cnr.it

Direttore dell’Istituto per la Tecnologia delle Membrane (ITM), Via Pietro Bucci, cubo 17, Rende, (CS), Italia

Biographical Note

Alberto Figoli is serving as the Director of the Institute on Membrane Technology of the National Research Council of Italy, ITM-CNR since March 2019.

Dr. Alberto Figoli obtained his PhD degree at Membrane Technology Group, Twente University (Enschede, The Netherlands) in 2001. He graduated in Food Science and Technology at the Agriculture University of Milan 1996. Since December 2001, he has a permanent position as Researcher at Institute on Membrane Technology (CNR-ITM) in Rende (CS), Italy.

In May – December 1996, he had an International experience in an industrial research lab at Quest International Nederland B.V. (ICI), Process Research Group, Naarden (The Netherlands) on “Setting of a pilot plant for aromatic compounds extraction using the pervaporation (PV) membrane technology”.

He was granted for the “Short Term Mobility Programme” by CNR, in 2004 and 2005, at the “Environmental Protection Agency of United States (USEPA)”, Sustainable Technology Division, Cincinnati (USA) on “Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and aroma removal using a novel asymmetric membrane by pervaporation” within the “Short Term Mobility Programmes” funded CNR.

He is responsible and involved in various National and International projects. He is also responsible, within the CNR organisation, for two research lines on membrane preparation and characterisation and on pervaporation (PV) applications.

He is author of more than 170 research papers in peer reviewed journals and several book chapters; five books, three patents and many oral presentations (also as invited and keynote lecture) in National and International Conferences and Workshops.

Research Interests

  • Alberto Figoli is expert in the field of membrane technology, particularly in membrane fabrication and characterisation and their application in environmental filed.

  • He is working on the fabrication and characterisation of polymeric membranes, both in flat and hollow-fiber configurations for water treatment. The latest research is devoted in the development on membranes in a more sustainable way by using less toxic and greener solvents as well as bio-polymeric membranes. Coating using innovative functionalised monomers are also produced for improving the membrane properties. Furthermore, he is also involved on polymeric capsules preparation by membrane processes and membrane emulsification which aim to tailor their morphology to the release of the species of interest for food packaging, chemical and pharmaceutical application.

  • He is also working on pervaporation (PV) applied to the removal of contaminants (i.e. VOCs) from water, Organic/Organic separations and aroma recovery from natural matrices.

The research has been carried out within several international projects, such as VICINAQUA (Integrated aquaculture based on sustainable water recirculating system for the Victoria), BioNexGen (Development of the next generation bioreactor system), WATERBIOTECH (Biotechnology for Africa’s sustainable water supply), NAWADES (Nanotechnological Application in Water Desalination), ILMC (Preparation of ionic liquid microcapsule membranes loaded and their application in NMVOCs removal), INNOWA (Innovative Water Treatment), Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window “EURINDIA”, tutor of doctoral research in Chemical Engineerinf and Materials and Chemistry, in collaboration with Faculty Unical; National Projects, such as AsSE (SEparazione dell’ArSenico dalle acque mediante processi a membrana), TARANTO (Tecnologie e processi per l’Abbattimento di inquinanti e la bonifica di siti contaminati con Recupero di mAterie prime e produzioNe di energia TOtally green) and Projects with Companies.

Main Research-Areas

  • Polymeric Membranes Fabrication by using less toxic and green solvents;
  • Bio-Polymeric Membranes Fabrication;
  • Phase Inversion Techniques (VIPS and NIPS and TIPS) for membrane Fabrication;
  • Membrane Characterisation;
  • Capsules production by membrane emulsification techniques;
  • Mixed matrix membranes and Ionic liquid membranes;
  • Pervaporation (PV) membrane preparation and application

Responsability for Research Projects

  • 2016 – 2019: Scientific Responsible for ITM of the HORIZON2020 EU project, VICINAQUA (Integrated aquaculture based on sustainable water recirculating system for the Victoria Lake Basin), Funding Board: European Commission, www.vicinaqua.eu

  • 2018 – 2021: Scientific Responsible for ITM of the National Project PON, TARANTO (Tecnologie e processi per l’Abbattimento di inquinanti e la bonifica di siti contaminati con Recupero di mAterie prime e produzioNe di energia TOtally green), Funding Board: PON 2014-2020 Ricerca e Innovazione, www.taranto.cnr.it

  • 2017 – 2019: Scientific Project Responsible of the Regional Project POR, AsSE (SEparazione dell’ArSenico dalle acque mediante processi a membrana), Funding Board: POR CALABRIA FESR-FSE2014-2020, www.progettoasse.it

  • 2010-2014: Scientific Responsible for ITM of the FP7 EU project, BioNexGen (Development of the next generation bioreactor system), Funding Board: European Commission, www.bionexgen.eu

  • 2013-2014: Scientific Responsible of Industrial project “Hydrophobic flat sheet membrane preparation and evaluation for nanofiltration and pervaporation applications”, Funding Board: Private Italian industry.

  • 2012-2014: Scientific Responsible for ITM of the FP7 EU project, WATERBIOTECH (Biotechnology for Africa’s sustainable water supply), Funding Board: European Commission, www.waterbiotech.eu

  • 2010-2012: Coordinator and Scientific Responsible of Marie Curie Fellowship-IFF, ILMC “Preparation of ionic liquid microcapsule membranes loaded and their application in NMVOCs removal. Funding Board: European Commission