NEWS

LSRE-LCM Researchers Feature in Latest Issue of Boletim da Sociedade Portuguesa de Química

August 23, 2024

The latest issue of the Boletim da Sociedade Portuguesa de Química features two contributions from researchers at LSRE-LCM/ALiCE. This edition provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of chemistry in Portugal, explores the challenges faced by young researchers, and highlights the work being conducted by researchers in the field.
The first article, titled “Contaminantes Emergentes na Água: Presença de Antibióticos, e Agora,” authored by Ana M. Gorito and Ana Rita L. Ribeiro, addresses the research gaps related to the presence of emerging contaminants in the environment, highlighting the problematic of pharmaceuticals and specifically of antibiotics, a field that is being studied at LSRE-LCM under the framework of the ERC Starting Grant.
The second article, “Mecanismos de Mistura em Reatores Químicos 2D,” authored by Margarida Brito, offers an in-depth review of the research conducted at LSRE-LCM on mixing mechanisms in Confined Impinging Jets (CIJs), T-Jets, and Split-and-Recombine mixers.
This issue can be accessed online at https://www.spq.pt/magazines/BSPQuimica/710/pdf.

Workshop on valorization of by-products and agri-food waste hosted by LSRE-LCM

July 26, 2024

On July 1, 2024, the Chemical Engineering Department at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto hosted a successful workshop titled “Valorização de subprodutos e/ou resíduos agroalimentares” (Valorization of by-products and/or agri-food waste). This event, targeted at final-year Chemical Engineering students and researchers, was organized by LSRE-LCM/ALiCE researchers Isabel Martins, Cláudia Gomes da Silva, Ricardo Santos, and Yaidelin Manrique.

The workshop was supported by researchers from the CyChest project (PD23-00008) as part of its dissemination action plan, aimed at promoting innovative approaches to the valorization of byproducts and waste in the agro-food sector. The event featured the participation of several key stakeholders and partners, including   CCDR-N, COLAB4FOOD, FCUP, GreenUporto, LEPABE/ALiCE, and CIMO/IPB.

The workshop included a presentation by Researcher Isabel Martins(LSRE-LCM/ALiCE) and Professor Filomena Barreiro (CIMO/IPB), the project coordinators, who provided valuable insights into the project's objectives.

A significant highlight was the round table “Desafios e oportunidades na valorização de resíduos para a criação de produtos de valor acrescentado" (Challenges and Opportunities in Waste Valorization for Creating Value-Added Products), chaired by Ricardo Santos (FEUP, ALiCE). Panelists included Lúcia Santos (FEUP, ALiCE), Carina Costa (FEUP, ALiCE), Daniel Sousa (COLAB4FOOD), and Elsa Ramalhosa (IPB, CIMO).

The workshop provided a platform for attendees to learn from experts, exchange ideas, and explore potential collaborations in the field of agro-food waste valorization.

Cychest project intends to promote better integration of waste management of chestnut production in the Parque Natural de Montesinho activities, with actions targeted at soil protection and pest control and creating value to guarantee the sustainability of the park's activities. The planned strategy is based on the valorisation of residues from the chestnut production by extracting compounds with high added value from their residues.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

PUBLICATIONS

Carneiro M.A., Silva T.A., Teixeira P.J.S., Boaventura R.A.R., Botelho C.M.S., Pintor A.M.A.. New insights on antimony removal and recovery from water and wastewater using iron-coated cork granulates: Desorption on batch and fixed-bed column systems. Chemical Engineering Science, 296, 120207, 2024
Domingues P.S., Sousa H.P., Oliveira N.S., Ribeiro A.M., Ferreira A.. Determination of the biochemical methane potential of swine hydrolyzate. Renewable Energy, 235, 121287, 2024
Matos J., Santos R.J., Dias M.M., Lopes J.C.B.. Chaos and mixing in NETmix. AIChE Journal, 70, e18461, 2024
Batool S., Schubert J.S., Ayala P., Saito H., Sampaio M.J., Da Silva E.S., Silva C.G., Faria J.L., Eder D., Cherevan A.. A thiomolybdate cluster for visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution: comparison of homogeneous and heterogeneous approaches. Sustainable Energy and Fuels, 8, 1225 - 1235, 2024
Restivo J., Orge C.A., Soares O.S.G.P., Pereira M.F.R.. A review of current and prospective catalytic routes for the management of PFAs contamination in water. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 12, 112859, 2024

APPROVED PROJECTS

SWMOF - Water capture from atmospheric humidity using ecological MOFs and integration with intelligent water distribution systems. Reference: Water4All/0003/2022. Funded by: FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Water4All - Water4All Partnership (co-funded by Horizon Europe). Starting Date: 2024/04/01. Duration: 36 months.
ReWateR - Recovery of Wastewater Resources in Agriculture. Reference: 82343. Funded by: “La Caixa” Foundation, INCF - Incoming Fellowship 2023. Starting Date: 2024/04/01. Duration: 36 months.
ERA-ARE - A new ERA for Environmental Risk Assessment: Chirality as a tool towards environmentally safe pharmaceuticals. Reference: ERC - 101039270. Funded by: European Comission, Horizon Europe | ERC | STARTING GRANTS. Starting Date: 2023/12/31. Duration: 60 months.
NEWater - Unconventional, natural and low-energy solutions for managing water sources. Reference: Water4All/0002/2022. Funded by: FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Water4All - Water4All Partnership (co-funded by Horizon Europe). Starting Date: 2023/12/01. Duration: 36 months.
RESURGENCE - Industrial Water Circularity: Reuse, resource recovery and energy efficiency for greener digitised EU process. Reference: 101138097. Funded by: European Comission, Horizonte Europa | Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space. Starting Date: 2023/12/01. Duration: 48 months.

THESIS DEFENSES

Ana Sofia Guedes Gorito dos Santos
Removal of organic and inorganic pollutants from water in continuous catalytic systems
Júlia Cristiê Kessler
Supercritical CO2 extraction and continuous production of Moringa oleifera microcapsules: A scalable approach for natural-based cosmetic formulations
Lucas Zafanelli
Green Hydrogen Recovery from Natural Gas Grids by Adsorption Processes
Stephany Cunha de Rezende
Natural-Based Solid Dispersions as Technological Solutions for Innovative Food Applications
Heloísa Helena Scorsato de Almeida
Hydrosols as antimicrobial agents for sustainable applications
Patrícia Sofia Ferreira Ramalho
Selective reduction of nitric oxide (NOx) over carbon-based catalysts