BIOCOMPATIBLE SURFACTANTS AND IONIC LIQUIDS
Group Leader: Mª Teresa García
Chemistry is currently facing one of the greatest challenges in its history. Environmental concern and regulatory pressure have provided the driving force to try to replace petrochemical-based compounds with those based on naturally occurring renewable sources. Addressing this challenge involves investigating for how renewable resources can be used in the synthesis of new biocompatible compounds.
Since it is well known that surface-active compounds can adversely affect the aquatic environment, there is a clear trend to move towards non-toxic biodegradable renewable raw materials as building blocks for the synthesis of non-polluting biocompatible surface-active compounds. Our group conducts a comprehensive research on novel surfactants and ionic liquids derived from natural renewable sources like amino acids and natural oils. The goal is to develop biocompatible compounds with low toxicity and high biodegradability. Surfactants and ionic liquids with these properties would fulfill the requirements of industries in the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical field.
Group Leader: Mª Teresa García
Chemistry is currently facing one of the greatest challenges in its history. Environmental concern and regulatory pressure have provided the driving force to try to replace petrochemical-based compounds with those based on naturally occurring renewable sources. Addressing this challenge involves investigating for how renewable resources can be used in the synthesis of new biocompatible compounds.
Since it is well known that surface-active compounds can adversely affect the aquatic environment, there is a clear trend to move towards non-toxic biodegradable renewable raw materials as building blocks for the synthesis of non-polluting biocompatible surface-active compounds. Our group conducts a comprehensive research on novel surfactants and ionic liquids derived from natural renewable sources like amino acids and natural oils. The goal is to develop biocompatible compounds with low toxicity and high biodegradability. Surfactants and ionic liquids with these properties would fulfill the requirements of industries in the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical field.
RESEARCH LINES
- Synthesis of new biocompatible surfactants and ionic liquids derived from amino acids.
- Study of their adsorption at interfaces and self-aggregation behavior.
- Study of the interaction with biological membranes.
- Study of their antimicrobial activity, toxicity and biodegradation.
Liquid crystals of biocompatible amino acid based surfactants and ionic liquids
Antimicrobial effect of biocompatible amino acid based surfactants on E. coli bacteria
Scientific staff
Mª Teresa García
Tenured Scientist
teresa.garcia@iqac.csic.es
Lourdes Pérez
Tenured Scientist
lourdes.perez@iqac.csic.es
Full list of publications
Lab people
Zakaria Hafidi
Postdoctoral Researcher
Sergio Vázquez
Predoctoral Researcher
Elena Bautista
Research support technician
- Innovative and sustainable zein nanoparticles based on antimicrobial and biodegradable amino acid based surfactants to combat the antimicrobial resistance-
IP: Lourdes Pérez
Grant: COOPA2326 funded by MCIU/CSIC
Period: 2024-2025
Funding: 24.000 euros
- Development of innovative and sustainable strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance based on biodegradable cationic amphiphiles-
IP1: María Teresa García; IP2: Lourdes Pérez
Grant: PID2022-136354NB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by “ERDF A way of making Europe”
Period: 2023-2027
Funding: 187.500 euros
