Muzzarelli’s “firsts” in scientific innovation

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• First to describe the chelating ability of substituted celluloses.
  R.A.A. Muzzarelli and L.C. Bate. Separation of trace metals from uranium by chromatography on cellulose columns. TALANTA, 12, 823-827 (1965)


• First to describe the chelating ability of chitin and chitosan.
  R.A.A. Muzzarelli and O. Tubertini. Chitin and chitosan as chromatographic adsorbents and supports for collection of trace metals from aqueous and organic solutions and sea water. TALANTA, 16, 1571-1579 (1969)


• First to immobilize enzymes on polysaccharides and to introduce the use of glutaraldehyde.
  R.A.A. Muzzarelli, G. Barontini and R. Rocchetti. Immobilization of enzymes on chitosan columns: alpha-chymotrypsin and acid phosphatase. BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOENGINEERING, 18, 1445-1454 (1976)


• First to elucidate the role of chitosan dressings in wound healing and to produce histological evidence.
  R.A.A. Muzzarelli, V. Baldassarre, F. Conti, G. Gazzanelli, V. Vasi, P. Ferrara and G. Biagini. The biological activity of chitosan: Ultrastructural study. BIOMATERIALS, 9, 247-252 (1988)


• First to report on bone regeneration promoted by modified chitosans.
  R.A.A. Muzzarelli, M. Mattioli-Belmonte, C. Tietz, R. Biagini, G. Ferioli, M.A. Brunelli, M. Fini, R. Giardino, P. Ilari and G. Biagini, Stimulatory effect on bone formation exerted by a modified chitosan. Biomaterials, 15, 1075-1081 (1994)


• First to formulate chitosan in cosmetic preparations.
  R.A.A. Muzzarelli. Chitine modificate per uso cosmetico. IL PRODOTTO CHIMICO, 27(1), 28-32 (1986)


• First to demonstrate by electron microscopy the antimicrobial action of chitosans.
  R.A.A. Muzzarelli, R. Tarsi, O. Filippini, E. Giovanetti, G. Biagini, P.E. Varaldo. Antimicrobial properties of N-carboxybutyl chitosan. ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY, 34, 2019-2023 (1990)


• First to do enzymatic cross-linking of chitosan.
  R.A.A. Muzzarelli, P. Ilari, W. Xia, M. Pinotti and M. Tomasetti. Tyrosinase-mediated quinone tanning of chitinous materials. Carbohydrate Polymers, 24, 294-300(1994)


• First to report on the unspecific activity of several hydrolases on chitosan.
  R.A.A. Muzzarelli, M. Tomasetti and P. Ilari. Depolymerization of chitosans with the aid of papain. Enzyme and Microbial Technology, 16, 110-114 (1994)


• First to adopt the regioselective oxidation approach and to produce 6-oxychitin.
  R.A.A. Muzzarelli, C. Muzzarelli, A. Cosani and M. Terbojevich. 6-Oxychitins, novel hyaluronan-like polysaccharides obtained by regioselective oxidation of chitins. Carbohydrate Polymers 39, 361-367 (1999)


• First to dissolve chitosan in alkaline solutions.
  Muzzarelli C., Tosi G., Francescangeli O. and Muzzarelli R.A.A. Alkaline chitosan solutions. Carbohydrate Research, 338, 2247-2255 (2003)


• First to write a review on chitin nanofibrils
  R. A. A. Muzzarelli and C. Muzzarelli. Chitin nanofibrils. In: Chitin and Chitosan, Opportunities and Challenges. P.M. Dutta, Ed., New Age International, New Delhi, India, 2005


• First to provide a comprehensive view of the therapeutic and regenerative properties of chitosans
  R. A. A. Muzzarelli. Chitins and chitosans for the repair of wounded skin, nerve, cartilage and bone. Carbohydrate Polymers, 2009, doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2008.11.002

Bibliographic citations

It is amply recognized that the number of citations received by an article is an indication of the importance of that article. This issue has been dealt with in authoritative journals such as Nature (for instance vol. 351, p. 597, dated 20 June 1991) and Current Contents.

The Institute for Scientific Information, Philadelphia, USA, the publisher of Current Contents, provides information of this kind; their reports do not books and patents, however. The table shows the data for various quinquennia, along with data for 2009 and 2010 (first semester). The trend toward increasing spontaneus citations is clearly documented.

The journals where most often citations of Prof. Muzzarelli works are found are: Biotechnology & Bioengineering, Carbohydrate Polymers, Carbohydrate Research, Biomaterials, Journal of Applied Polymer Science and the publications of the American Chemical Society.
In addition to the citations mentioned, a further number can be found in various books, book chapters, and patents.