Francesca Rigano

Dr. Francesca Rigano got her Master’s Degree in Chemistry in 2012 and the PhD in “Food Chemistry and Safety” in 2016, discussing a thesis entitled “Advanced Liquid Chromatography Techniques for the Development of Innovative Analytical Methods, with Particular Emphasis to Miniaturized Systems and Mass Spectrometry Hyphenation”. During Doctorate, she mainly worked in the field of LC techniques, exploring different instrumental setups, and focusing on the development of prototype systems. One of them consisted in the coupling of nano-LC to electron ionization mass spectrometry (EI-MS), with the aim to extend the advantages of GC-MS analysis to typical LC-amenable compounds.

Immediately after doctorate, Dr. Rigano started to work as a researcher at Chromaleont S.r.l., a company incubated at the University of Messina and she was the Scientific Director of different research projects carried out in the frame of a collaboration with leading companies in the sector (Shimadzu Corporation, Waters Corporation, and Merck): “Lipidomics”, “Coumarin Analyzer”, “SFC-EI”, “REIMS”. One of the main research lines regarded the improvement of identification capability in LC and SFC trough the combined use of the complementary information gathered from EI-MS data and Linear Retention Index (LRI), the latter approach was proven to be very stable under different experimental conditions at both intra- and inter-laboratory level (national and PCT patents, granted in USA, Japan and China).

Moreover, she was involved in national and European research projects, such as “Valorization of Italian OLive products through INnovative analytical tools (VIOLIN)”, funded by Ager foundation, leader in the agri-food sector, for which she implemented LC-MS and MS databases to be used for the identification of unknown sample. She was also involved in the Horizon 2020 project called “For.Tuna”, aiming to the valorization of bioactive molecules, mainly w-3 fatty acids and biopeptides, from tuna fish industry. In April 2019, she was promoted to Supervisor of the Research and Development sector of Chromaleont S.r.l.

Since November 2019, Dr. Rigano is Research Fellow of Food Chemistry at the Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences of the University of Messina, where she teaches “Healthy Foods from the World” (6 CFU) for the Master Degree course “Science of Human Food and Nutrition” and Food Chemistry and Agri-food Quality Control” for the Bachelor Degree Course “Sustainability and Environmental Innovation”

She mainly works on the analysis of lipids, bioactive molecules (carotenoids and polyphenols) and secondary metabolites (e.g. phytocannabinoids) in several food samples. The development of high throughput analytical methods, which enable fast, automatic and highly reliable quali-quantitative analysis play a central role in her research.

She is the co-author of 48 scientific papers (H-index 16, 742 citations, Scopus database source) and more than 130 oral/poster presentations at national and international meetings; moreover, she was the invited speaker of several scientific seminars and the “Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy” (Pittcon 2019).

She recently received the Young Researcher Medal awarded by the Interdivisional Group of Separation Science (Italian Chemistry Society) for the year 2022, during the national congress “Incontri di Scienza delle Separazioni” held in Florence in November, 17th-18th 2022, where she was invited to present her research activity.

PUBBLICAZIONI

  • Comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry: application to a challenging food case-study.

Paola Donato, Francesco Cacciola, Francesca Rigano, Daniele Giuffrida, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello

LC GC N AM. 2014, 5, 42–47.

  • Complementary analytical liquid chromatography methods for the characterization of aqueous phase from pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomasses.

Debora Tomasini, Francesco Cacciola, Francesca Rigano, DaniloSciarrone, Paola Donato, Marco Beccaria, Elina B. Caramao, Paola Dugo and Luigi Mondello

Anal. Chem, 2014, 86, 11255–1126. Doi: 10.1021/ac5038957

  • Nano liquid chromatography directly coupled to electron ionization mass spectrometry for free fatty acids elucidation in mussel.

Francesca Rigano, Ambrogina Albergamo, Danilo Sciarrone, Marco Beccaria, Giorgia Purcaro, Luigi Mondello

Anal. Chem., 2016, 88, 4021−4028. Doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b00328

  • Rapid isolation, reliable characterization, and water solubility improvement of polymethoxyflavones from cold-pressed mandarin essential oil

Marina Russo, Francesca Rigano, Adriana Arigò, Danilo Sciarrone, Maria Luisa Calabrò, Sara Farnetti, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello.

J. Sep. Sci., 2016, 39, 2018–2027. Doi: 10.1002/jssc.201501366

  • Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry for the Simultaneous Determination of Wine Polyphenols and Target Contaminants

Paola Donato, Francesca Rigano, Francesco Cacciola, Mark Schure, Sara Farnetti, Marina Russo, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello. 

J. Chromatogr. A, 2016, 1458, 54–62. Doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2016.06.042

  • Free Fatty Acid Profiling of Marine Sentinels by NanoLC-EI-MS for the Assessment of the Environmental Pollution Effects

Ambrogina Albergamo, Francesca Rigano, Giorgia Purcaro, Angela Mauceri, Salvatore Fasulo and Luigi Mondello

Sci. Tot. Environ., 2016, 571, 955–962. Doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.07.082

  • High Informative multiclass profiling of lipid by Ultra-High pressure Liquid Chromatography- Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry by Using ESI and APCI Interfaces

Marco Beccaria, Veronica Inferrera, Francesca Rigano, Krzysztof Gorynski, Giorgia Purcaro, PaolaDugo, Luigi Mondello.

J. Chromatogr. A, 2017, 1509, 69–82. Doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2017.06.017

  • Proposal of a linear retention index system for improving identification reliability of triacylglycerol profiles in different lipid samples by liquid chromatography methods

Francesca Rigano, Marianna Oteri, Marina Russo, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello

Anal. Chem. 2018, 90, 3313–3320. Doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b04837

  • Comprehensive lipid profiling in marine organisms by hyphenated and multidimensional chromatography techniques coupled to mass spectrometry detection

Paola Donato, Giuseppe Micalizzi, Marianna Oteri, Francesca Rigano, Danilo Sciarrone, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello

Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 2018, 410, 3297–3313. Doi: 10.1007/s00216-018-1045-3

  • Novel Comprehensive Multidimensional Liquid Chromatography Approach for Elucidation of the microbosphere of shikimate-producing Escherichia coli SP1.1/pKD15.071 Strain

Francesco Cacciola, Domenica Mangraviti, Francesca Rigano, Paola Donato, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello, Hernan J. Cortes

Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 2018, 410, 3473–3482. Doi: 10.1007/s00216-017-0744-5

  • Monoacylglycerol and diacylglycerol production by hydrolysis of refined vegetable oil by-products using an immobilized lipase from Serratia sp.W3

Zarai Zied, Ahlem Edahech, Francesca Rigano, Giuseppe Micalizzi, Luigi Mondello, Nadia Kharrat, Mohamed Sellami, Francesco Cacciola.

J. Sep. Sci. 2018, 41, 4323–4330. Doi: 10.1002/jssc.201800432

  • Use of an Intelligent Knife (iknife), Based on the Rapid Evaporative Ionization Mass Spectrometry Technology, for Authenticity Assessment of Pistachio Samples

Francesca Rigano, Sara Stead, Domenica Mangraviti, Renata Jandova, Davy Petit, Nino Marino, Luigi Mondello

Food Anal. Meth. 2019, 12, 558–568. Doi: 10.1007/s12161-018-1386-8

  • Characterization of peel and pulp proanthocyanidins and carotenoids during ripening in persimmon “Kaki Tipo” cv, cultivated in Italy

Matteo Bordiga, Fabiano Travaglia, Daniele Giuffrida, Domenica Mangraviti, Francesca Rigano, Luigi Mondello, Marco Arlorio, Jean Daniel Coisson

Food Res. Int. 2019, 120, 800–809. Doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2018.11.041

  • Determination of the polyphenolic fraction of Pistacia vera L. kernel extracts by comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry detection

Katia Arena, Francesco Cacciola, Domenica Mangraviti, Mariosimone Zoccali, Francesca Rigano, Nino Marino, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello

Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 2019, 411, 4819–4829. Doi: 10.1007/s00216-019-01649-w

  • The Phenolic Fraction of Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oils: Elucidation Through Combined Liquid Chromatography and NMR Approaches

Jitka Klikarová, Archimede Rotondo, Francesco Cacciola, Lenka Česlová, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello, Francesca Rigano

Food Anal. Meth. 2019, 12, 1759–1770. Doi: 10.1007/s12161-019-01508-5

  • High-performance liquid chromatography combined with electron ionization mass spectrometry: A review

Francesca Rigano, Peter Q. Tranchida, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello

Trend Anal. Chem. 2019, 118, 112–122. Doi: 10.1016/j.trac.2019.05.032

  • Oxygen Heterocyclic Compound Screening in Citrus Essential Oils by Linear Retention Index Approach Applied to Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Photodiode Array Detector

Adriana Arigò, Francesca Rigano, Giuseppe Micalizzi, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello

Flavour Fragr J. 2019, 34, 349–364. Doi: 10.1002/ffj.3515

  • Rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry coupled with an electrosurgical knife for the rapid identification of Mediterranean Sea species

Francesca Rigano, Domenica Mangraviti, Sara Stead, Nathaniel Martin, Davy Petit, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello

Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 2019, 411, 6603–6614. Doi: 10.1007/s00216-019-02000-z

  • Combining linear retention index and electron ionization mass spectrometry for a reliable identification in nano liquid chromatography

Francesca Rigano, Marina Russo, Adriana Arigò, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello.

J. Chromatogr. A, 2020, 1610, 460581–460588. Doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2019.460581

  • Evaluation of the availability of delphinidin and cyanidin‑3‑O‑sambubioside from Hibiscus sabdariffa and 6‑gingerol from Zingiber officinale in colon using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry detection

Yassine Oulad El Majdoub, Mohammed Diouri, Paola Arena, Adriana Arigò, Francesco Cacciola, Francesca Rigano, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello

Eur. Food Res. Technol. 2019, 245, 2425–2433. Doi: 10.1007/s00217-019-03358-1

  • The Contribution of Carotenoids, Phenolic Compounds, and Flavonoids to the Antioxidative Properties of Marine Microalgae Isolated from Mediterranean Morocco

Imane Haoujar, Francesco Cacciola, Jamal Abrini, Domenica Mangraviti, Daniele Giuffrida, Yassine Oulad El Majdoub, Ayoub Kounnoun, Natalizia Miceli, Maria Fernanda Taviano, Luigi Mondello, Francesca Rigano and Nadia Skali Senhaj

Molecules, 2019, 24, 4037–4053. Doi: 10.3390/molecules24224037

  • Characterization of monoacylglycerols and diacylglycerols rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids produced by hydrolysis of Musteleus mustelus liver oil catalyzed by an immobilized bacterial lipase

Zied Zarai, Ahlem Eddehech, Francesca Rigano*, Marianna Oteri, Giuseppe Micalizzi, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello, Francesco Cacciola.

J. Chromatogr. A, 2020, 1613, 460692–460706. Doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2019.460692

  • Rapid and miniaturized qualitative and quantitative gas chromatography profiling of human blood total fatty acids

Giuseppe Micalizzi, Emanuela Ragosta, Sara Farnetti, Paola Dugo, Peter Q. Tranchida, Luigi Mondello, Francesca Rigano

Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 2020, 412, 2327–2337. Doi: 10.1007/s00216-020-02424-y

  • Exploration of Rapid Evaporative-Ionization Mass Spectrometry as a Shotgun Approach for the Comprehensive Characterization of Kigelia Africana (Lam) Benth. Fruit

Katia Arena, Francesca Rigano*, Domenica Mangraviti, Francesco Cacciola, Francesco Occhiuto, Laura Dugo, Paola Dugo and Luigi Mondello

Molecules 2020, 25, 962–980. Doi: 10.3390/molecules25040962

  • Comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography as a powerful tool for the analysis of food and food products

Francesco Cacciola, Francesca Rigano, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello

Trend Anal. Chem. 2020, 127, 115894–115904. Doi: 10.1016/j.trac.2020.115894

  • Determination of the Phenol and Tocopherol Content in Italian High-Quality Extra-Virgin Olive Oils by Using LC-MS and Multivariate Data Analysis

Laura Dugo, Marina Russo, Francesco Cacciola, Filippo Mandolfino, Fabio Salafia, Alessandra Vilmercati, Chiara Fanali, Monica Casale, Laura De Gara, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello, Francesca Rigano

Food Anal. Methods 2020, 13, 1027–1041. Doi: 10.1007/s12161-020-01721-7

  • Evaluation of matrix effect in one-dimensional and comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography for the determination of the phenolic fraction in extra virgin olive oils

Katia Arena, Francesco Cacciola, Francesca Rigano, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello

J Sep Sci. 2020, 43, 1781–1789. Doi: 10.1002/jssc.202000169

  • Lipid profile of fish species by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and a novel linear retention index database

Francesca Rigano*, Marianna Oteri, Giuseppe Micalizzi, Domenica Mangraviti, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello

J Sep Sci. 2020, 43, 1773–1780. Doi: 10.1002/jssc.202000171

  • Effect of seasonal variation on the chemical composition and antioxidant and antifungal activities of Convolvulus althaeoides L. leaf extracts

Soukaina Hrichi, Raja Chaabane-Banaoues, Daniele Giuffrida, Domenica Mangraviti, Yassine Oulad El Majdoub, Francesca Rigano, Luigi Mondello, Hamouda Babba, Zine Mighri, Francesco Cacciola

Arab. J. Chem. 2020, 13, 5651–5668. Doi: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2020.04.006

  • Identification of Fatty Acid, Lipid and Polyphenol Compounds from Prunus armeniaca L. Kernel Extracts

Soukaina Hrichi, Francesca Rigano*, Raja Chaabane-Banaoues, Yassine Oulad El Majdoub, Domenica Mangraviti, Davide Di Marco, Hamouda Babba, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello, Zine Mighri,   Francesco Cacciola

Foods 2020, 9, 896–914. Doi: 10.3390/foods9070896

  • Comprehensive Chemical Characterization of the Pistacia vera Fruits through Original NMR Quantification Methods

Archimede Rotondo, Francesca Rigano, Luigi Mondello

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10, 5523–5535. Doi: 10.3390/app10165523

  • Miniaturized LC in Molecular Omics

Cemil Aydoğan, Francesca Rigano, Lenka Kujovská Krčmová, Doo Soo Chung, Mirek Macka, Luigi Mondello

Anal. Chem. 2020, 92, 11485−11497. Doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c01436

  • Apocarotenoids profiling in different Capsicum species

Mariosimone Zoccali, Daniele Giuffrida, Fabio Salafia, Francesca Rigano, Paola Dugo, Monica Casale, Luigi Mondello

Food Chemistry 2021, 334, 127595–127601. Doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127595

  • Isolation of Microalgae from Mediterranean Seawater and Production of Lipids in the Cultivated Species

Imane Haoujar, Francesco Cacciola, Manuel Manchado, Jamal Abrini, Mohammed Haoujar, Kamal Chebbaki, Marianna Oteri, Francesca Rigano, Domenica Mangraviti, Luigi Mondello, Adil Essafi, Hicham Chairi, Nadia Skali Senhaji

Foods 2020, 9, 1601–1613. Doi: 10.3390/foods9111601

  • Differentiation of Italian extra virgin olive oils by rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry

Domenica Mangraviti, Francesca Rigano*, Adriana Arigò, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello

LWT 2021, 138, 110715–110723. Doi: 10.1016/j.lwt.2020.110715

  • Coumarins, Psoralens and Polymethoxyflavones in Cold-pressed Citrus Essential Oils: a Review

     Marina Russo, Francesca Rigano, Adriana Arigò, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello.

J. Essent. Oil Res. 2021, 33, 221–239. Doi: 10.1080/10412905.2020.1857855

  • The retention index approach in liquid chromatography: An historical review and recent advances

Francesca Rigano*, Adriana Arigò, Marianna Oteri, Roberta La Tella, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello.

J. Chromatogr. A, 2021, 1640, 461963–461975. Doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2021.461963

  • Identification of high-value generating molecules from the wastes of tuna fishery industry by liquid chromatography and gas chromatography hyphenated techniques with automated sample preparation

Francesca Rigano, Paola Arena, Domenica Mangraviti, Danilo Donnarumma, Paola Dugo, Paola Donato, Luigi Mondello, Giuseppe Micalizzi.

J. Sep. Sci. 2021, 44, 1571–1580. Doi: 10.1002/jssc.202100108

  • Evaluation of the Level of Toxic Contaminants and Essential Molecules in the Context of the Re-Use of Tuna Fishery Industry by-Products

Danilo Donnarumma, Roberta La Tella, Federica Vento, Tania Maria Grazia Salerno, Giuseppe Micalizzi, Francesca Rigano*, Luigi Mondello

Food Analytical Methods, 2021, 14, 2161–2174. Doi: 10.1007/s12161-021-02045-w

  • Linear retention index approach applied to liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry to determine oxygen heterocyclic compounds at trace level in finished cosmetics

Adriana Arigò, Paola Dugo, Francesca Rigano, Luigi Mondello.

J. Chromatogr. A, 2021, 1649, 462183–462196. Doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2021.462183

  • Dietary intake of coumarins and furocoumarins through citrus beverages: A detailed estimation by a HPLC-MS/MS method combined with the linear retention index system

Adriana Arigò, Francesca Rigano*, Marina Russo, Emanuela Trovato, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello

Foods, 2021, 10, 1533–1548. Doi: 10.3390/foods10071533

  • Non‑psychoactive cannabinoids identification by linear retention index approach applied to a hand‑portable capillary liquid chromatography platform

Roberta La Tella, Francesca Rigano*, Paolo Guarnaccia, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello

Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 2022, 414, 6341–6353. Doi: 10.1007/s00216-021-03871-x

  • Comparison of lipid profile of Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oils by using rapid chromatographic approaches

Marianna Oteri, Francesca Rigano*, Giuseppe Micalizzi, Monica Casale, Cristina Malegori, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello.

J. Food Comp. Anal. 2022, 110, 104531. Doi: 10.1016/j.jfca.2022.104531

  • Elucidation of the Lipid Composition of Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Products by Means of Gas Chromatography and Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry Detection

Paola Arena, Francesca Rigano*, Paolo Guarnaccia, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello, Emanuela Trovato

Molecules, 2022, 27, 3358. Doi: 10.3390/molecules27103358

  • Rapid Evaporative Ionization Mass Spectrometry-Based Lipidomics for Identification of Canine Mammary Pathology

Domenica Mangraviti, Jessica Maria Abbate, Carmelo Iaria, Francesca Rigano*, Luigi Mondello, Marco Quartuccio, Fabio Marino

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23, 10562. Doi: 10.1007/s12161-021-02045-w

  • Comprehensive Chemical Characterization of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) Seed Oil with a Focus on Minor Lipid Components

Marianna Oteri, Giovanni Bartolomeo, Francesca Rigano,* Juan Aspromonte, Emanuela Trovato, Giorgia Purcaro, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello, Marco Beccaria

Foods, 12, 23-43, DOI: 10.3390/foods12010023

  • Hemp seed-based food products as functional foods: A comprehensive characterization of secondary metabolites using liquid and gas chromatography methods

Emanuela Trovato, Katia Arena, Roberta La Tella, Francesca Rigano, Roberto Laganà Vinci, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello, Paolo Guarnaccia.

J. Food Comp. Anal. 2023, 117, 105151. DOI: 10.1016/j.jfca.2023.105151

  • Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Oils from Cactus Opuntia ficus-indica L. and Opuntia dillenii Seeds

Ghanya Al-Naqeb, Cinzia Cafarella, Eugenio Aprea, Giovanna Ferrentino, Alessandra Gasparini, Chiara Buzzanca, Giuseppe Micalizzi, Paola Dugo, Luigi Mondello, Francesca Rigano

Foods, 2023, 12, 618. DOI: 10.3390/foods12030618