Six esters of both betaine and L-carnitine bromides, featuring alkyl groups ranging from C8 to C18 in length, have been synthesized. The thermal behaviour of these twelve bio-based salts has been analyzed and compared by thermal gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The L-carnitine alkyl ester bromides melted below 100 C and can hence be considered ionic liquids (ILs) with full rights. Conversely, the betaine...

In this paper we created novel poly(ester urethane)s (PESUs) designed specifically for tissue engineering. The PESUs were derived from oligomeric α,ω-dihydroxy(ethylene-butylene adipate) (dHEBA), 1,4-butanediol (BDO) and aliphatic 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) and modified with l-ascorbic acid to improve their biocompatibility. In addition, we determined their mechanical properties (such as tensile strength, elongation at...

Underwater noise has been identified as a relevant pollution affecting marine ecosystems in different ways. Despite the numerous studies performed over the last few decades regarding the adverse effect of underwater noise on marine life, a lack of knowledge and methodological procedures still exists, and results are often tentative or qualitative. A monitoring methodology for the behavioral response of bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)...