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Applied Chemistry in Europe, 2nd Edition
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Applied Chemistry in Europe, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 3551

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rosa Iacovino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Caserta, Italy
Interests: cyclodextrin; inclusion complex; preparation methods; drug delivery systems; X-ray diffraction; crystal structure
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Gianluca D'Abrosca

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
Interests: proteins; UV-visible spectroscopy; nuclear magnetic resonance; structural biology; circular dichroism; molecular docking; inclusion complexes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Molecules aims at collecting papers on applied chemistry from European scholars. It is a compilation of novel, cutting-edge achievements in the most interesting areas of applied chemistry, which are as follows:

  • Application-related studies on the synthesis/preparation of new molecules/materials;
  • New application-related analytical methods;
  • New application-related physical and theoretical chemistry output, especially regarding applied electrochemistry and catalysis;
  • Energy- and environment-related works;
  • Chemistry-related studies on new materials and medicines;
  • pharma and agro-food applications of new chemical products;
  • Other applied chemistry-related studies.

Scientists from Europe are cordially invited to contribute original research papers or reviews to this Special Issue.

Dr. Rosa Iacovino
Dr. Gianluca D'Abrosca
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nano-materials
  • environmental chemistry
  • chemical synthesis
  • green chemistry
  • theoretical chemistry analytical methods

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 4388 KB  
Article
Development and Validation of SEC-UV/HRMS Procedure for Simultaneous Determination of BSA and Its Association Products
by Blaž Hodnik, Žiga Čamič and Matevž Pompe
Molecules 2026, 31(6), 1001; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31061001 - 16 Mar 2026
Viewed by 272
Abstract
Monitoring peptide and protein self-association is essential for understanding biological function, formulation stability, and aggregation mechanisms. While size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) is routinely used to quantify protein-size variants under native conditions, its hyphenation to high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) for simultaneous structural characterization remains limited. [...] Read more.
Monitoring peptide and protein self-association is essential for understanding biological function, formulation stability, and aggregation mechanisms. While size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) is routinely used to quantify protein-size variants under native conditions, its hyphenation to high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) for simultaneous structural characterization remains limited. Here, we report the development and validation of a robust SEC-UV/HRMS method optimized for native-like analysis of bovine serum albumin (BSA) monomers and higher-order oligomers using standard-flow electrospray ionization. Systematic evaluation of source parameters, mobile-phase composition, and chromatographic conditions enabled retention of native BSA structure, minimized in-source unfolding, and enhanced MS sensitivity, allowing detection of oligomers up to the heptamer. A short, narrow-bore 200 Å UHPLC SEC separation column was used. Low-flow separations (~0.05 mL/min) enabled efficient ionization and 10 min run times. An accelerated 60 °C stress-testing protocol demonstrated that SEC-MS can semi-quantitatively monitor oligomerization dynamics, complementing UV-based quantification and revealing transient species not resolved by UV alone. The method showed acceptable linearity, precision, and sample stability, and comparison with SEC-RALS/LALS confirmed molecular-weight trends across aggregation states. Overall, the developed SEC-UV/HRMS workflow provides a rapid, sensitive, and widely accessible approach for UV-based quantification of monomer- and HRMS-based characterizing protein aggregation in research and quality control in pharmaceutical laboratories. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Chemistry in Europe, 2nd Edition)
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26 pages, 1597 KB  
Article
Metabolic Profiling of Sugarloaf Chicory Roots: Structural Assignment of Sesquiterpene Lactone Conjugates and Response to Reduced Irrigation
by Giuseppe Scioli, Lorenzo Pin, Giulio Testone, Anatoly Petrovich Sobolev and Donato Giannino
Molecules 2026, 31(4), 712; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31040712 - 19 Feb 2026
Viewed by 338
Abstract
Sugarloaf chicory (Cichorium intybus var. porphyreum) represents a valuable crop for investigating metabolic responses to environmental stress. This study applied quantitative 1H-NMR-based metabolomics to characterize the water-soluble metabolome and evaluate root metabolic adaptations under water-deficit (WD) conditions compared to well-watered [...] Read more.
Sugarloaf chicory (Cichorium intybus var. porphyreum) represents a valuable crop for investigating metabolic responses to environmental stress. This study applied quantitative 1H-NMR-based metabolomics to characterize the water-soluble metabolome and evaluate root metabolic adaptations under water-deficit (WD) conditions compared to well-watered (WW) conditions. A total of 44 compounds were identified across roots and leaves, with inulin being root-specific. To address the lack of aqueous NMR data for chicory sesquiterpene lactones (STLs), a solid-phase extraction and fractionation protocol was implemented. Comparison of 1H-NMR and 13C chemical shifts with data from the literature, 2D NMR experiments (HSQC, HMBC), and spiking with standards confirmed that the major root STLs (lactucin, 8-deoxylactucin, and lactucopicrin) are 15-oxalate conjugates with enhanced water solubility. Under water deficit, root profiles revealed significant stress-induced alterations: sucrose, alanine, threonine and phospho-choline increased, whereas asparagine, glutamic acid, chiro-inositol, myo-inositol, and all three STL conjugates decreased markedly (−39% to −50%). These shifts reflect adaptive osmotic adjustments and carbon reallocation strategies under stress. As roots represent a remarkable source of bioactive STLs, these findings support their potential valorization as functional ingredients. This study establishes quantitative NMR metabolomics as a robust tool for assessing physiological responses to water deficit, providing insights into stress adaptation mechanisms and identifying roots as promising targets for alternative applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Chemistry in Europe, 2nd Edition)
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22 pages, 1507 KB  
Article
Chemical, Nutritional, Antinutritional, Physical and Technological Characterization of Breads Containing Germinated and Non-Germinated Black Lentil Flours Under Different Fermentation Conditions
by Christine (Neagu) Dragomir, Sylvestre Dossa, Ariana Velciov, Daniela Stoin, Ileana Cocan, Florina Radu, Călin Jianu and Ersilia Alexa
Molecules 2026, 31(4), 619; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31040619 - 10 Feb 2026
Viewed by 424
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the possibility of using lentil flour in its native and germinated form as microgreen in bread-making technology, as well as how the fermentation process (with yeast or sourdough) influences the chemical, nutritional, antinutritional, physical and technological parameters of [...] Read more.
This study aims to investigate the possibility of using lentil flour in its native and germinated form as microgreen in bread-making technology, as well as how the fermentation process (with yeast or sourdough) influences the chemical, nutritional, antinutritional, physical and technological parameters of the bread. For this purpose, 14 bread samples were obtained using composite flours (wheat flour and black lentil flour) with the addition of 10, 20, and 30% lentil flour (LF) relative to wheat flour (WF), as well as composite flours (wheat flour and germinated lentil powder GL) in proportions of 2.5, 5, and 7%. Each flour sample was used in bread production using the direct fermentation method with yeast (yeast lentil bread BLY and yeast germinated lentil bread BGLY) and the indirect method with sourdough (sourdough lentil seed bread BLS and sourdough germinated lentil bread BGLS). Experimental results regarding nutritional composition showed a significant increase in protein content compared to the control (wheat flour bread), with the highest value recorded in the sample with 7.5% germinated lentil fermented with sourdough (29.18%), which also stood out for the highest total polyphenol content (1183.84 mg/100 g) and the lowest phytic acid content. Regarding the physical properties of the bread, an increase in elasticity, porosity, and height/diameter ratio was observed in the samples with an intermediate addition of lentil flour (20%) and germinated lentil flour (7.5%). The physical color parameters of the final product are also significantly influenced by the addition of black lentil flour, as well as germinated lentils. In conclusion, it can be stated that the use of lentil flour in its germinated form increases the nutritional and functional properties of bread, while the use of sourdough in the technological process leads to a decrease in the phytic acid content of the samples. Among the tested formulations, the addition of 20% lentil flour or 5% lentil germinated lentil resulted in the most favorable balance between bread elasticity, porosity, and H/D ratio. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Chemistry in Europe, 2nd Edition)
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28 pages, 9273 KB  
Article
Antifouling Epoxy Coatings with Scots Pine Bark Extracts
by Tomasz Szmechtyk, Magdalena Efenberger-Szmechtyk and Agata Czyżowska
Molecules 2026, 31(1), 137; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31010137 - 31 Dec 2025
Viewed by 463
Abstract
Antifouling coatings have to provide antibacterial performance combined with good mechanical and chemical properties. The good anticorrosive performance of tannins on steel surfaces and antibacterial activity of phytochemicals from conifers could provide a solution in the form of Scots pine bark extract. In [...] Read more.
Antifouling coatings have to provide antibacterial performance combined with good mechanical and chemical properties. The good anticorrosive performance of tannins on steel surfaces and antibacterial activity of phytochemicals from conifers could provide a solution in the form of Scots pine bark extract. In this study, epoxy compositions with different ratios of the characterised extract (TPC, HPLC analysis of phytochemicals) were tested physically (density), mechanically (Shore D hardness, three-point bending test, Charpy impact test), chemically (DSC curing analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, chemical resistance), and microbiologically (antibacterial activity). The results were analysed and the performance of the composites was evaluated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Chemistry in Europe, 2nd Edition)
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Review

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28 pages, 4905 KB  
Review
Oxidation Mechanism in Bigels and Emulgels—Challenges and Solutions
by Szymon Juchniewicz and Joanna Harasym
Molecules 2026, 31(6), 970; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31060970 - 13 Mar 2026
Viewed by 279
Abstract
Nutritionally crucial unsaturated fatty acids, especially rich in high omega-3 bonds, are very prone to oxidation. This phenomenon makes oxidation stability a substantial challenge in every formulation, especially those which contain or at some stage of preparation contain water. Bigels and emulgels, which [...] Read more.
Nutritionally crucial unsaturated fatty acids, especially rich in high omega-3 bonds, are very prone to oxidation. This phenomenon makes oxidation stability a substantial challenge in every formulation, especially those which contain or at some stage of preparation contain water. Bigels and emulgels, which represent promising structured lipid systems for replacing saturated and trans fats in food formulations, pose significant oxidative stability challenges. This review examines oxidation mechanisms in such biphasic systems. Oxidation in bigels and emulgels proceeds through both free-radical-mediated autoxidation and metal-ion-catalysed pathways, with the oil–water interface serving as the primary reaction zone where pro-oxidants concentrate, and lipid substrates become accessible. Structural configuration critically determines oxidative stability, following the sequence W/O bigel > bicontinuous bigel > O/W bigel. The high viscosity of gel matrices provides substantial protection by restricting radical mobility and oxygen diffusion. Mass transfer occurs via diffusion, collision–exchange–separation, and micelle-assisted mechanisms, with association colloids forming localized interfaces that accelerate oxidation. Thermal processing presents particular challenges, as temperatures above 50 °C disrupt most gel structures and accelerate oxidative degradation. Effective protective strategies include interfacial engineering with emulsifiers to reduce oil–water interfacial tension, incorporation of natural antioxidants (e.g., phenolic compounds and tocopherols), and synergistic antioxidant combinations. This review provides a mechanistic framework for formulating oxidatively stable bigels and emulgels suitable for food applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Chemistry in Europe, 2nd Edition)
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51 pages, 4344 KB  
Review
Mechanistic Pathways and Product Selectivity in Pyrolysis of PE, PP and PVC: A Foundation for Applied Chemistry in Europe
by Tim Tetičkovič, Dušan Klinar, Klavdija Rižnar and Darja Pečar
Molecules 2026, 31(2), 202; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31020202 - 6 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1188
Abstract
Plastic streams dominated by polyethylene (PE) including PE HD/MD (High Density/Medium Density) and PE LD/LLD (Low Density/Linear Low Density), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) across Europe demand a design framework that links synthesis with end of life reactivity, supporting circular economic goals [...] Read more.
Plastic streams dominated by polyethylene (PE) including PE HD/MD (High Density/Medium Density) and PE LD/LLD (Low Density/Linear Low Density), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) across Europe demand a design framework that links synthesis with end of life reactivity, supporting circular economic goals and European Union waste management targets. This work integrates polymerization derived chain architecture and depolymerization mechanisms to guide selective valorization of commercial plastic wastes in the European context. Catalytic topologies such as Bronsted or Lewis acidity, framework aluminum siting, micro and mesoporosity, initiators, and strategies for process termination are evaluated under relevant variables including temperature, heating rate, vapor residence time, and pressure as encountered in industrial practice throughout Europe. The analysis demonstrates that polymer chain architecture constrains reaction pathways and attainable product profiles, while additives, catalyst residues, and contaminants in real waste streams can shift radical populations and observed selectivity under otherwise similar operating windows. For example, strong Bronsted acidity and shape selective micropores favor the formation of C2 to C4 olefins and Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene (BTX) aromatics, while weaker acidity and hierarchical porosity help preserve chain length, resulting in paraffinic oils and waxes. Increasing mesopore content shortens contact times and limits undesired secondary cracking. The use of suitable initiators lowers the energy threshold and broadens processing options, whereas diffusion management and surface passivation help reduce catalyst deactivation. In the case of PVC, continuous hydrogen chloride removal and the use of basic or redox co catalysts or ionic liquids reduce the dehydrochlorination temperature and improve fraction purity. Staged dechlorination followed by subsequent residue cracking is essential to obtain high quality output and prevent the release of harmful by products within European Union approved processes. Framing process design as a sequence that connects chain architecture, degradation chemistry, and operating windows supports mechanistically informed selection of catalysts, severity, and residence time, while recognizing that reported selectivity varies strongly with reactor configuration and feed heterogeneity and that focused comparative studies are required to validate quantitative structure to selectivity links. In European post consumer sorting chains, PS and PC are frequently handled as separate fractions or appear in residues with distinct processing routes, therefore they are not included in the polymer set analyzed here. Polystyrene and polycarbonate are outside the scope of this review because they are commonly handled as separate fractions and are typically optimized toward different product slates than the gas, oil, and wax focused pathways emphasized here. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applied Chemistry in Europe, 2nd Edition)
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