Mesoporous silica particles, wherein said silica is functionalized on the surface with: (i) at least one group having acidic functionality, wherein said group has the general formula: and (ii) at least one group having hydrophobic functionality, wherein said group has the general formula: wherein at least one of the R1 groups of the formulas and represents a covalent bond between the oxygen of the respective formula or and the silicon of the silica (covalent silicon-oxygen bond), the other two R1 groups being independently H or a covalent silicon-oxygen bond; A is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 2 -C 12 alkyl group, preferably C 2 -C 8, more preferably C 3 -C 6, optionally substituted with at least one group selected from: ether (-O-), thioether (-S-), amino (-NH-), cyano (-CN), carbonyl (-CO), epoxide, a halogen, preferably -Cl or -Br, aryl, optionally substituted, and a combination thereof; X is an acidic functionality selected in the group consisting of: -SO 3 H, - COOH, -PO 2, and a combination thereof; B is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 2 -C 18 alkyl group, preferably C 4 -C 18, more preferably C 6 -C 14, even more preferably C 8 -C 12, optionally substituted with at least one group selected from ether (-O-), thioether (-S-), amino (-NH-), cyano (-CN), carbonyl (-CO), epoxide, a halogen, preferably -Cl or -Br, aryl, optionally substituted, and a combination thereof; wherein said particles have a diameter comprised between 0.1 and 400 μm, more preferably between 0.1 and 200 μm and comprise pores having a diameter larger than 1 nm, with the component comprised between 5 and 50 nm greater than 50%, preferably greater than 60%. (i) at least one group having acidic functionality, wherein said group has the general formula: and (ii) at least one group having hydrophobic functionality, wherein said group has the general formula: wherein at least one of the R1 groups of the formulas and represents a covalent bond between the oxygen of the respective formula or and the silicon of the silica (covalent silicon-oxygen bond), the other two R1 groups being independently H or a covalent silicon-oxygen bond; A is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 2 -C 12 alkyl group, preferably C 2 -C 8, more preferably C 3 -C 6, optionally substituted with at least one group selected from: ether (-O-), thioether (-S-), amino (-NH-), cyano (-CN), carbonyl (-CO), epoxide, a halogen, preferably -Cl or -Br, aryl, optionally substituted, and a combination thereof; X is an acidic functionality selected in the group consisting of: -SO 3 H, - COOH, -PO 2, and a combination thereof; B is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 2 -C 18 alkyl group, preferably C 4 -C 18, more preferably C 6 -C 14, even more preferably C 8 -C 12, optionally substituted with at least one group selected from ether (-O-), thioether (-S-), amino (-NH-), cyano (-CN), carbonyl (-CO), epoxide, a halogen, preferably -Cl or -Br, aryl, optionally substituted, and a combination thereof; wherein said particles have a diameter comprised between 0.1 and 400 μm, more preferably between 0.1 and 200 μm and comprise pores having a diameter larger than 1 nm, with the component comprised between 5 and 50 nm greater than 50%, preferably greater than 60%. wherein at least one of the R1 groups of the formulas and represents a covalent bond between the oxygen of the respective formula or and the silicon of the silica (covalent silicon-oxygen bond), the other two R1 groups being independently H or a covalent silicon-oxygen bond; A is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 2 -C 12 alkyl group, preferably C 2 -C 8, more preferably C 3 -C 6, optionally substituted with at least one group selected from: ether (-O-), thioether (-S-), amino (-NH-), cyano (-CN), carbonyl (-CO), epoxide, a halogen, preferably -Cl or -Br, aryl, optionally substituted, and a combination thereof; X is an acidic functionality selected in the group consisting of: -SO 3 H, - COOH, -PO 2, and a combination thereof; B is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 2 -C 18 alkyl group, preferably C 4 -C 18, more preferably C 6 -C 14, even more preferably C 8 -C 12, optionally substituted with at least one group selected from ether (-O-), thioether (-S-), amino (-NH-), cyano (-CN), carbonyl (-CO), epoxide, a halogen, preferably -Cl or -Br, aryl, optionally substituted, and a combination thereof; wherein said particles have a diameter comprised between 0.1 and 400 μm, more preferably between 0.1 and 200 μm and comprise pores having a diameter larger than 1 nm, with the component comprised between 5 and 50 nm greater than 50%, preferably greater than 60%.