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- 2-Fluorophenol degradation by aerobic granules in a sequencing batch reactorPublication . Duque, A. F.; Bessa, V. S.; Carvalho, M. F.; De Kreuk, M. K.; Loosdrecht, M. C. M. van; Castro, P. M. L.
- Biodegradation of chiral pharmaceuticals by an activated sludge consortium followed by a Chiral HPLC-FDPublication . Ribeiro, Ana R.; Castro, P. M. L.; Afonso, Carlos; Tiritan, MariaBiodegradation tends to be enantioselective in contrast to abiotic degradation and it is necessary enantioselective analytical methods to quantify the enantiomeric fraction of chiral pharmaceuticals in the environment for correct risk assessment. In this work, we developed HPLC-FD methods to follow the biodegradation of four beta-blockers: alprenolol , propranolol , metoprolol and atenolol and the antidepressant fluoxetine during 15 days in batch mode. The biodegradation assays were performed using AS from the aerated tanks of a municipal wastewater treatment plant with a singly compound supplementation and a mixture compound supplementation similar to those found in wastewater influents. Abiotic degradation in the presence of light and in the dark was evaluated. Either the low concentration or the mixture effects are situations closer to those found in the environment. The results indicate the higher degradation extents for the S-enantiomer forms, as is shown in Figure 1.
- Microbial community in a biofilter traeting odours from an organic recovery plant for municipal solid waste treatmentPublication . Bessa, Vânia S.; Moura, S. C.; Baptista, I. I. R.; Jorge, R. Ferreira; Castro, P. M. L.
- Isolation and characterization of a bacterial strain able to degrade 2-FluorophenolPublication . Duque, A. F.; Carvalho, M. F.; Janssen, D. B.; Castro, P. M. L.
- Studies on the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and the efficacy of two native isolates in a highly alkaline anthropogenic sedimentPublication . Oliveira, R. S.; Vosátka, M.; Dodd, J. C.; Castro, P. M. L.A field survey of the arbuscular mycorrhizal status of herbaceous plant species was conducted in a highly alkaline anthropogenic sediment resulting from the disposal of waste from an acetylene and polyvinyl chloride factory. Most plant species found at the site were mycorrhizal and the dominant mycotrophic plant species was Conyza bilbaoana. Fungal species richness was assessed by identification of spores extracted from the sediment and from continuously propagated trap pot cultures. All of the six species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) found were from the genus Glomus. Glomus intraradices and G. mosseae were found in field-collected sediment samples and also occurred most frequently in trap cultures. To test the symbiotic effectiveness of these two fungi, seedlings of C. bilbaoana were inoculated with either native G. intraradices BEG163 or G. mosseae BEG198 and non-native G. intraradices BEG75 or G. mosseae BEG25 isolates in sterile and non-sterile sediment collected from the study site. All four isolates were able to colonise C. bilbaoana. However, AMF native to the target sediments were generally more effective than the non-native fungi in promoting plant establishment and growth under highly alkaline conditions. The non-native G. intraradices was, however, more effective than the non-native G. mosseae. The results of this study suggest the use of adapted AMF as inoculants for phytorestoration of alkaline anthropogenic-stressed sediments.
- Bioaugmentation of a rotating biological contactor with a bacterial strain able to degrade fluorinated phenolsPublication . Duque, A. F.; Bessa, Vânia S.; Carvalho, M. F.; Castro, P. M. L.
- Potential valorisation of vinification by-productsPublication . Santos, A. F.; Ferraro, V.; Cruz, I. B.; Ferreira Jorge, R.; Carvalho, A. P.; Castro, P. M. L.; Pintado, M. E.
- Polishing domestic wastewater on a subsurface flow constructed wetland: organic matter removal and microbial monitoringPublication . Mina, I. Aguiar-Pinto; Costa, M.; Matos, A.; Calheiros, C. Sousa Coutinho; Castro, P. M. L.Microbial monitoring of constructed wetlands (CWs) treating domestic wastewater is generally scarce, despite the need of more knowledge about its biocenosis. The sanitation quality of a wastewater treated in a CW is a crucial aspect, mainly when the receiving water body is used as a swimming and/or recreation area. The present study was carried out in a horizontal subsurface flow CW planted with Phragmites australis receiving pre-treated domestic wastewater (mean flow 50 m3 day−1), from a population of about 300 inhabitants. The monitoring programme undertaken during the first year operation, revealed removal efficiencies of 61% BOD5, 44% COD, and 65% TSS for inlet water with ca. 90 mg L−1 BOD5, 157 mg L−1 COD, and 17 mg L−1 TSS. Total Coliform (TC) and Faecal Coliform (FC) bacteria were removed from wastewater (mean inlet values of 5 × 106 CFU 100 mL−1 TC and of 9 × 105CFU 100 mL−1 FC), with efficiencies of 92 and 97%, respectively. The dynamics of microbial communities established in the system assessed by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), had revealed a high bacterial diversity within the system, with no relevant differences in composition at the CW inlet and outlet but exhibiting temporal differences in bacterial communities.
- Assessment of mycorrhizal colonisation and soil nutrients in unmanaged fire-impacted soils from two target restoration sitesPublication . Dias, J. M.; Oliveira, R. S.; Franco, A. R.; Ritz, K.; Nunan, N.; Castro, P. M. L.The mycorrhizal colonisation of plants grown in unmanaged soils from two restoration sites with a fire history in Northern Portugal was evaluated from the perspective of supporting restoration programmes. To promote restoration of original tree stands, Quercus ilex L. and Pinus pinaster Ait. were used as target species on two sites, denoted Site 1 and 2 respectively. The aim of the study was to assess whether mycorrhizal propagules that survived fire episodes could serve as in situ inoculum sources, and to analyse the spatial distribution of soil nutrients and mycorrhizal parameters. In a laboratory bioassay, P. pinaster and Q. ilex seedlings were grown on soils from the target sites and root colonisation by ectomycorrhizal (ECM) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi was determined. The ECM root colonisation levels found indicated that soil from Site 2 contained sufficient ECM propagules to serve as a primary source of inoculum for P. pinaster. The low levels of ECM and AM colonisation obtained on the roots of plants grown in soil from Site 1 indicated that the existing mycorrhizal propagules might be insufficient for effective root colonisation of Q. ilex. Different ECM morphotypes were found in plants grown in soil from the two sites. At Site 2 mycorrhizal parameters were found to be spatially structured, with signif icant differences in ECM colonisation and soil P concentrations between regions of either side of an existing watercourse. The spatial distribution of mycorrhizal propagules was related to edaphic parameters (total C and extractable P), and correlations between soil nutrients and mycorrhizal parameters were found.
- Aerobic granular sludge process treats real fish canning wastewater.Publication . Paulo, A. M. S.; Amorim, Catarina L.; Castro, P. M. L.Aerobic Granular Sludge (AGS) is an innovative technology used for carbon and nutrients removal from wastewater, using less space and energy compared to other biotechnological solutions. Aerobic granules present a compact structure, composed of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which increase AGS resistance to variable wastewater composition, as those commonly produced by industry. In this study, C, N and P-removal from a fish canning plant wastewater was evaluated using an AGS-SBR (sequential batch reactor). Throughout the first 3 months of operation with variable feed composition, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) at the outlet was below the discharge limit of 125 mg O2 L-1, phosphorous removal was stable and the nitrification process improved. At the higher organic loading rates (OLR), the AGS performance was temporary affected. This study contributes to understanding the effects of the variability of a real wastewater on an AGS process.