Browsing by Author "Castro, Paula"
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- Application of phytomanagement strategies in contaminated areas of the SUDOE spacePublication . Mench, Michel; Garbisu, Carlos; Epelde, Lur; Soussou, Souhir; Soto-Lopez, Manuel; Hernandez, Antonio; Dudoit, Laurent; Vilela, Juan; Castro, Paula; Moreira, Helena; Pereira, Sofia; Rodríguez-Garrido, Beatriz; Prieto-Fernandez, Angeles; Monterroso-Martínez, Carmen; Cardoso, Eduardo; Jouveau, Séverin; Burlett, Régis; Delzon, Sylvain; Albareda, Aroa; Sousa, Álvaro Nunes de; Becerril, Jose Maria; Segura, Raphael
- Bio-based superabsorbent hydrogels for nutrient releasePublication . Ribeiro, Alessandra B.; Moreira, Helena; Pereira, Sofia I. A.; Godinho, Mariana; Sousa, Ana Sofia da Silva; Castro, Paula; Pereira, Carla F.; Casanova, Francisca; Freixo, Ricardo; Pintado, Manuela E.; Ramos, Óscar L.Drought is characterized by a low water precipitation rate, with strong impact on crop productivity, threatening global food production. In this context, the use of soil amendments, such as superabsorbent hydrogels constitute a potential technology for better water use efficiency and higher crop yields. In this work, we synthesised cellulose-based hydrogels, characterized their physical and functional properties, evaluated their impact on the environment, and their potential to be used as a soil amendments. The hydrogel showed pH of 6.0 to 7.5 and conductivity below 10.0 µS cm-1. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed a low intensity peak in the crystallinity region, which was supported by the low crystallinity index (27.3% ± 0.6) verified by Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis. The swelling capacity reached more than 200 g of water, the hydrogel showed good resistance to osmotic pressure and high thermostability, which favours the application in hot and arid areas. In addition, no potentially hazardous compound was detected, nor was there any adverse effect on soil microorganisms. Further, the hydrogel was found to be safe for use during seed sowing and for promoting seedling development. In the greenhouse pot experiment, the hydrogels showed a significant increase in maize shoot and root biomass, demonstrating their ability to contribute to the overall water holding capacity of the soil, thereby influencing nutrient availability for more efficient plant growth. In conclusion, the superabsorbent hydrogel exhibited promising characteristics for use as a soil amendment, scalability potential and constitutes a sustainable alternative for agricultural applications.
- Bio-based superabsorbent hydrogels for nutrient-controlled releasePublication . Ribeiro, Alessandra B.; Moreira, Helena; Pereira, Sofia I. A.; Godinho, Mariana; Castro, Paula; Pereira, Carla F.; Casanova, Francisca; Freixo, Ricardo; Pintado, Manuela E.; Ramos, Óscar L.The drought is characterized by a low water precipitation rate, with strong impact on the crop productivity, threaten global food production. In this context, the use of soil amendments, such as superabsorbent hydrogels constitute a potential technology for water use efficiency and increase crop yields. In this work, it was synthesised a cellulose-based hydrogel, carrying out its characterisation, evaluated its environmental safety and its potential to be used as a soil amendment. The hydrogel was successfully synthesised using a simple process and inexpensive reagents. The hydrogel showed pH of 6.0 to 7.5 and conductivity below 10.0 µS cm-1. The FTIR showed a low intensity peak in the crystallinity region, which was supported by the low crystallinity index (27.3 % ± 0.6) verified by PXRD analysis. The swelling capacity reached more than 200 g of water, the hydrogel showed good resistance to osmotic pressure and high thermostability, which favours the application in hot and arid areas. Regarding the safety evaluation, no potentially hazardous compound was detected, nor was there any adverse effect on soil microrganisms. In addition, the hydrogel was found to be safe for use during sowing and for promoting seedling development. In the green pot experiment, the hydrogel demonstrated a significant increase in maize biomass, root biomass and potential to serve as a reservoir for soil nutrients. In conclusion, the superabsorbent hydrogel exhibited promising characteristics for use as a soil amendment, scalability potential and constitutes a sustainable alternative for agricultural applications.
- Bioaugmentation of Aerobic Granular Sludge with specialized degrading granules treating 2-fluorophenol wastewaterPublication . Oliveira, Ana S.; Amorim, Catarina L.; Zlopasa, Jure; Lin, Yumei; Loosdrecht, Mark C. M. van; Castro, PaulaThe industry growth has been accompanied by an increase in the amount of industrial chemicals being released into the environment. Indigenous microbial communities in wastewater biotreatment processes are not always effective in removing xenobiotics. This work aimed to evaluate the efficiency of a new bioaugmentation strategy in an aerobic granular sludge sequencing batch reactor (AGS-SBR) system fed with 2-fluorophenol (2-FP). Bioreactor performance in terms of phosphate and ammonium removal, 2-FP degradation and chemical oxygen demand (COD) was evaluated. The new bioaugmentation strategy consisted in producing granules using extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted from AGS as a carrying matrix and a 2-FP degrading strain, Rhodococcus sp. FP1. The produced granules were used for the bioaugmentation of a reactor fed with 2-FP. Shortly after bioaugmentation, the produced granules broke down into smaller fragments inside the bioreactor, but 2-FP degradation occurred. After 8 days of bioaugmentation, 2-FP concentration inside the reactor started to decrease, and stoichiometric fluorine release was observed 35 days later. Phosphate and ammonium removal also improved after bioaugmentation, increasing from 30% to 38% and from 20 to 27%, respectively. Complete ammonium removal was only achieved when 2-FP feeding stopped, and phosphate removal was not recovered during operation time. COD removal also improved after the addition of the produced granules. The persistence of Rhodococcus sp. FP1 in the reactor was followed by qPCR. Rhodococcus sp. FP1 was detected 1 day after in the AGS and up to 3 days after bioaugmentation at the effluent. Nevertheless, the 2-FP degradative ability remained thereafter in the granules. Horizontal gene transfer could have happened from the 2-FP degrading strain to indigenous microbiome as some bacteria isolated from the AGS, 3 months after bioaugmentation, were able to degrade 2-FP. This study presents a promising and feasible bioaugmentation strategy to introduce specialized bacteria into AGS systems treating recalcitrant pollutants in wastewater.
- Bioaugmented aerobic granular sludge reactor with a dye-decolorizing yeast for dye removal from textile industry wastewaterPublication . Mendes, Marta; Moreira, Irina; Moreira, Patrícia; Pintado, Manuela; Castro, PaulaTextile industry is a worldwide economic activity that generates high volumes of harmfuleffluents used in fabric processing that are discharged in the environment causing potentialdamages to the aquatic ecosystems [1]. These discharged effluents loaded with synthetic dyes,salt and other chemicals, are resistant to biodegradation and persistent in water, and areresponsible for toxicity and mutagenic effects on the aquatic life [2]. Biological methods aregenerally considered more environmentally friendly and of major relevance [3]. Therefore,biological alternatives to aid the decolorization of dyes in textile wastewaters need to beimplemented. Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) technology has excellent potential inbiodegradation of many pollutants, due to the anoxic/anaerobic zones within granules and theirincreased tolerance to toxicity [4].The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of decolorization of textile effluents using abioaugmented aerobic granular sludge reactor. A proved decolorizing yeast, isolated from atextile wastewater treatment plant, was selected for its dye decolorization capacity, and usedto bioaugment the bioreactor while forming the granules from activated sludge. Theincorporation of the yeast with the granules was followed by plating and following the yeastwithin the microbial community. A commonly used textile azo dye was added to the reactor tofollow the biodegradation by the bioaugmented aerobic granular sludge and the efficiency ofthe process in decolorizing the effluent at varying operational parameters was followed to assessif this is a solution for a safer discharge of such effluents.
- Biodegradation of bisphenol A and bisphenol S by labrys portucalensis strain F11Publication . Novo, Ana; Moreira, Irina S.; Castro, Paula
- Can the agriculture microbiome be utilised for suppressing zoonotic pathogens in plant foods?Publication . Brennan, Fiona; Alsanius, Beatriz; Allende, Ana; Burgess, Kaye; Moreira, Helena; Johannessen, Gro; Castro, Paula; Uyttendaele, Mieke; Trunchado, Pilar Trunchado; Holden, Nicola
- Decolorization of textile dyes and effluents by a selected yeast and preliminary characterization of the product metabolitesPublication . Cassoni, Carolina; Mendes, Marta; Moreira, Patrícia; Castro, Paula; Pintado, Manuela
- Decolorization-related enzymatic activity of extra- and intracellular extracts from yeast isolated from textile wastewaterPublication . Cassoni, Carolina; Moreira, Patricia; Castro, Paula; Pintado, M.M.E
- Desafios e oportunidades para a água ainda chamada de “residual”Publication . Castro, Paula