CBQF - Documentos de Conferências / Conference Objects
URI permanente para esta coleção:
Navegar
Entradas recentes
- Harnessing the potential of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) for use in agriculturePublication . Miranda, Catarina; Pereira, Sofia I. A.; Sousa, Ana S. S.; Wilfert, Philipp; van Loosdrecht, Mark; Martins, António; Castro, Paula M. L.; Amorim, Catarina L.The growing demand to enhance crop yields has intensified the use of synthetic fertilizers, whose indiscriminate and long-term application has been directly associated with adverse effects on the environment, soil health, and water quality. This scenario highlights the need to explore environmentally friendly alternatives that alleviate dependence on synthetic fertilizers while maintaining crop productivity and resilience. In this context, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) recovered from waste aerobic granular sludge (AGS) have emerged as promising, bio-based plant growth enhancers. Their potential is linked to their richness in organic matter and nutrients, remarkable water-holding capacity, and protective effects against environmental stressors. This study aimed to elucidate the role of EPS recovered from AGS obtained from two full-scale Nereda® reactors operating in Utrecht (EPS_U) and Faro (EPS_F), as well as from one laboratory-scale reactor (EPS_R), when applied as soil amendments. In a 7-week greenhouse pot experiment, maize (Zea mays L.) was cultivated in soils amended with EPS at two application rates (0.5% and 1%, w/w). EPS effects were compared against vermicompost and non-amended soil (control), assessing maize physiological and nutritional responses alongside changes in soil enzymatic responses. Applying higher EPS application rates, irrespective of their source, significantly increased maize chlorophyll content. Particularly, the incorporation of 1% of EPS_R increased chlorophyll contents by 105% and 62% comparative to the control and to 1% of vermicompost, respectively. Similarly, EPS amendments offered nutritional benefits, as evidenced by increased K and Mg accumulation in maize shoots following the application of 1% EPS_F and EPS_R, respectively. Either EPS or vermicompost amendments effectively limited the translocation of Na to maize shoots, although a stronger effect was noted with EPS. Concerning soils’ enzymatic activity, applying 1% of EPS_U translated into positive effects on the urease (31%) and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis (41%) activities, while acid phosphatase increased by 35% in soils amended with EPS_R_1%. The observed variability in enzymatic and nutritional responses likely reflects the compositional differences among EPS from different sources, demonstrating that both EPS source and application rate largely influenced their performance as soil amendments. Overall, the use of EPS recovered from waste AGS offers advantages in maize physiological and nutritional traits as well as in soils’ enzymatic attributes, representing a suitable alternative to conventional fertilizers. EPS recovery from waste AGS and their subsequent application as soil amendments represents a value-added pathway that supports resource recovery in the wastewater treatment sector and encourages the adoption of more sustainable agricultural practices.
- Development of a microfluidic paper-based sensor for aluminium assessment in water for domestic consumptionPublication . Aguiar, Juliana I. S.; Rangel, António O. S. S.; Mesquita, Raquel B. R.
- Empowering rural communities: a novel paper-based sensor for monitoring aluminium in water used for domestic consumptionPublication . Aguiar, Juliana I. S.; Rangel, António O. S. S.; Mesquita, Raquel B. R.Ensuring the safety of domestic water sources is critical for public health, particularly in rural areas where well water is commonly used for household consumption. Aluminium, a naturally occurring element, can leach into groundwater, and long-term exposure to high aluminium concentrations has been linked to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. So, the aim was to develop a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) for the accurate quantification of aluminium levels in well water, providing an affordable, portable, and user-friendly tool for well owners to monitor their water source quality. The μPAD was designed to attain aluminium determination using the colourimetric reaction with chrome azurol S (CAS). The device comprises two layers of paper, where the first layer is impregnated with a solution with three reagents: CAS, ascorbic acid, and acetate buffer solution. The CAS reagent reacts with aluminium(III) to produce a distinct colour product; ascorbic acid is used to eliminate interference from iron(III), and the acetate buffer solution ensures the appropriate reaction pH. The second layer of filter paper is empty to ensure a vertical flow approach as well as being a sample/standard reservoir. Several physical and chemical parameters of the device were optimised to attain the highest sensitivity for aluminium determination. Among the performed studies were the number of layers in the μPAD, the type and porosity of filter paper used, sample and reagent volumes, and reagents concentrations. The aluminium determination with the developed μPAD was validated using certified water samples and comparing the results obtained for several well-water with both the μPAD and AAS (atomic absorption spectrophotometry). After demonstrating its accuracy and robustness, the developed μPAD complies with the World Health Organization guidelines (having below 0.20 mg/L of aluminium in drinking water), enabling aluminium determination in the range of 0.10 to 1.00 mg/L. This μPAD provides a practical solution for regular monitoring of water quality, empowering well owners to take proactive steps in managing their water resources and ensuring their family’s health and safety.
- Effect of a chitosan-enriched biofertilizer on induced resistance against the pinewood nematode, bursaphelenchus xylophilusPublication . Nunes, Marta Nunes da; Carvalho, Vinícius G. B.; Sarmento, Bruno; Stamford, Newton P.; Pintado, Manuela E.; Vasconcelos, Marta W.
- A bi-parametric paper-based sensor for Al(III) and Fe(III) monitoring in well watersPublication . Aguiar, Juliana I. S.; Rangel, António O. S. S.; Mesquita, Raquel B. R.
- Morphology-dependent antimicrobial and migration properties of ZnO nanoparticles in bio-based packaging applied to melon fruitPublication . Mendes, Ana Rita; Silva, Francisco A. G. Soares; Mena, Cristina; Silva, M. Fátima; Silva, Cristina L. M.; Teixeira, Paula; Poças, Fátima
- PARAFISH: a cross-platform graphical interface for reproducible metabarcoding analysis in aquatic parasite monitoringPublication . Faria, João; Rito, Teresa; Carneiro, João
- Integrating 3D structural modelling and probe design for enhanced environmental pathogen detectionPublication . Pereira, Beatriz; Fernandes, Romeu; Soares, Pedro; Pratas, Diogo; Sousa, Sérgio F.; Carneiro, João
- ViruScope: an integrated pipeline for literature-driven and in silico viral primer designPublication . Lima, Ana; Sousa, Sérgio F.; Sá, Vítor; Pratas, Diogo; Carneiro, João
- Monitoring stress levels with salivary alpha-amylase determination through a paper-based microfluidic analytical devicePublication . Melo, Maria M. P.; Rangel, António O. S. S.; Mesquita, Raquel B. R.