The Diatom Staurosirella pinnata for Photoactive Material Production.
A native isolate of the colonial benthic diatom Staurosirella pinnata was cultivated for biosilica production. The silicified cell walls (frustules) were used as a source of homogeneous and structurally predictable porous biosilica for dye trapping and random laser applications. This was coupled with the extraction of lipids from biomass showing potential to fabricate photoactive composite materials sustainably. The strain was selected for its ease of growth in culture and harvesting. Biosilica and lipids were obtained at the end of growth in indoor photobioreactors. Frustules were structurally characterized microscopically and their chemistry analyzed with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Frustule capacity of binding laser dyes was evaluated on a set of frustules/Rhodamine B (Rho B) solutions and with respect to silicon dioxide and diatomite by Fluorescence Spectroscopy demonstrating a high affinity for the organic dye. The effect of dye trapping property in conveying Rho B emission to frustules, with enhancement of scattering events, was analyzed on Rho B doped polyacrylamide gels filled or not with frustules. Amplified spontaneous emission was recorded at increasing pump power indicating the onset of a random laser effect in frustule filled gels at lower power threshold compared to unfilled matrices.
University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Department of Industrial Engineering, Rome, Italy.|INSTM Consortium, Research Unit Roma Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Roberta
R
De Angelis
University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, Rome, Italy.
Sonia
S
Melino
University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Department of Industrial Engineering, Rome, Italy.|INSTM Consortium, Research Unit Roma Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Paolo
P
Prosposito
University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Department of Industrial Engineering, Rome, Italy.|INSTM Consortium, Research Unit Roma Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Mauro
M
Casalboni
INSTM Consortium, Research Unit Roma Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Francesca Romana
FR
Lamastra
INSTM Consortium, Research Unit Roma Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.|University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Department of Enterprise Engineering, Rome, Italy.
Francesca
F
Nanni
University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Department of Biology, Laboratory of Biology of Algae, Rome, Italy.
Laura
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4703-2088
L
Bruno
University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Department of Biology, Laboratory of Biology of Algae, Rome, Italy.
Roberta
R
Congestri
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D001688:Biological Products / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D018533:Biomass; D017377:Diatoms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D008027:Light; D008055:Lipids / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D058433:Photobioreactors; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D016062:Porosity; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000737:chemistry; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D001688:Biological Products; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008055:Lipids; D012235:Rhodamines; C016680:polyacrylamide gels; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; C029773:rhodamine B