ESTM - Mestrado em Biotecnologia dos Recursos Marinhos
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- Improving the elemental composition of Gracilaria vermiculophylla taking advantage of rapid ecophysiological response to salinityPublication . Braga, Camille Keller; Bermejo Lacida, Ricardo; Morrison, Liam; Afonso, Clélia Paulete Correia NevesThis work is part of an internship held in a project developed by the Earth and Ocean Science Department of the Ryan Institute at the University of Galway (Ireland) called MACROMAN, which is required to complete the Master’s Degree in Marine Resources Biotechnology of the School of Tourism and Marine Technology of the Polytechnic University of Leiria. Macroalgal blooms have been well recognized as an environmental problem since the 1970s. These blooms refer to the rapid and excessive growth of macroalgae in aquatic ecosystems, typically in marine environments, and they contain large amounts of biocompounds which make them of great interest for different human applications. The MACROMAN project focuses on the understanding of the mechanisms behind the development of these macroalgal blooms, to develop appropriate management tools. The main goal of this internship was to develop an experiment with one of the most important bloom-forming macroalgae in the Irish estuaries, Gracilaria vermiculophylla, and to carry out research about the improvement of its elemental composition, taking advantage of rapid ecophysiological responses to salinity. Small amounts of G. vermiculophylla were subjected to short incubation protocols at four different salinities and nine different incubation times, to analyse the fresh weight variation, water content and focus on the elemental composition of the seaweed tissue to enhance the concentration of desirable elements (e.g. K, N and P), and reduce the content of undesirable elements (e.g. Na, As, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sn, Zn) for a future use in human applications (e.g. fertilisers). This internship aimed to enhance the theoretical knowledge gained through the academic training, cultivate professional competencies, and offer insight into career opportunities within the job market.