Biotechnologies: at Palermo “electronic nose” to test the oil

• The use of bacteriums to live up lands damaged by dump and by hydrocarbons;
• The “electronic nose” to check the quality of the olive oil;
• The production of cells able to defeat bad diseases like diabetis.

These are some fields where biotecnologies are applied in Sicily, presented on the foundation day of Interdipartimental Centre of Applied Biothecnologies (Ciba), baptizised at Steri by the chancellor Giuseppe Silvestri, by the district councellor to energetic resources, Raffaele Loddo and by the manager of Confindustria (Italian manifacturers’ association), Paolo Rizzuto. “The constitution of this inter-dipartimental centre is particularly important, because today the areas where science is set are the interdipartimental ones-stated Silvestri-the biotechnology provides our enterprises solutions and proposals confronting with production ”. The aim of Ciba, in fact, is to collect the interdisciplinary competences of chemists, engeneers, physics, doctors, biologists, geologists and to develop ideas and plans within the field of applied biotechnologies, starting from already started researches. The possible applications are various: from agro-alimentary, to the fight against pollution of water and lands, to the productions of renewable sources of energy. These elements come out from some studies led in the various departements of Palermo University and that in some cases have already reached some results, as the use of some batteryums able to feed with polluted substances, with hydrocarbons for example, or to increase the support of nitrogen in lands damaged by dump.