LSRE-LCM - Artigos em Livros de Atas (participação em conferências)
URI permanente para esta coleção:
Navegar
Percorrer LSRE-LCM - Artigos em Livros de Atas (participação em conferências) por Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) "11:Cidades e Comunidades Sustentáveis"
A mostrar 1 - 10 de 10
Resultados por página
Opções de ordenação
- Comparison of cytochrome c with conventional biocatalysts in the degradation of environmental toxicantsPublication . Lagoa, Ricardo; Lopes, João M.; Rodrigues, J. Rui; Marques-da-Silva, DorindaPeroxidases and laccases are amongst the most attractive enzymes for the degradation of concerning pollutants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organic dyes. In spite of the availability of high activity enzymes, their applicability is hindered by specificity and stability limitations in real environmental conditions, so more suitable biocatalysts are demanded. Cytochrome c (Cc) is best known as a protein electron carrier at mitochondria, but it also displays (pseudo-)peroxidase activity. In this work, we aimed to evaluate the potential of Cc as biocatalyst of PAHs’ and azo dyes’ degradation and compare it with two more conventional enzymes - plant peroxidases and fungi laccases. The studies were carried out with Cc from horse heart, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and laccase from Trametes versicolor. The enzymes were tested with two major PAHs, anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), and with methyl orange (MO) as a model azo dye. The enzyme-catalyzed oxidation of PAHs was determined by HPLC, and MO decolorization was followed in spectrophotometric kinetic assays. Several degradation studies were performed to assess the catalytic capacity at different pH and the effect of the redox mediator ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate)). Peroxidase reactions of HRP and Cc were initiated with 100 μM H2O2 (in media containing 100 μM DTPA as metal chelator). In pH 5 acetate buffer, the specific ABTS-oxidizing activity of Cc was much lower than that of laccase and HRP. However, these two enzymes lost almost all activity at pH 7, while Cc exhibited catalytic activity even at pH 8 (phosphate buffer). Decolorization assays showed laccase alone to be a weak catalyst of MO degradation, although addition of ABTS to the reaction media greatly accelerated the transformation. On the contrary, both HRP and Cc directly catalyzed MO decolorization, including at neutral pH, and the redox mediator offered no advantage. As for the PAHs, HRP and laccase catalysis benefited from the presence of ABTS in the media, but again Cc oxidized anthracene and BaP directly. Indeed, 24h incubation of BaP (1 mg/L) with Cc (0.1 mg/mL) resulted in the transformation of 70±4% of the PAH and generation of major reaction products different of the BaP quinones produced by laccase- and HRP-ABTS systems. This work disclosed catalytic properties of Cc different from laccase and HRP that are relevant for the design of new enzymatic remediation processes.
- Feasibility Study of the PET Fines Incorporation into Recycling ProcessesPublication . Nascimento, Bruna Guilherme do; Bozzola, Fernando; Vasco, Joel C.; Parnigoni, Milena; Capela, Carlos; Heleno, Lizete; Gaspar, Marcelo; Oliveira, Nelson S.Circular economy principles focus on the need to preserve natural resources and foster the use of environmentally sustainable practices. Concerning the use of plastics in a circular economy, increasingly demanding solutions have to be developed towards the zero-waste goal sought after by researchers and society alike. Particular attention has been put into the recycling of PET, mainly due to its wide spectrum of use and, consequently, to large volumes of related waste. The PET mechanical recycling process requires these waste materials to be shredded into PET flakes. Following such a procedure, these flakes are pelletized to be used again as feedstock. Considering the main stages of the mechanical recycling processes, which include plastic screening, shredding and washing, significant amounts of end waste materials are generated. This end-waste integrates small scale particles that are designated by plastic fines. Concerning the PET recycling process, the PET fines resulting from its mechanical recycling are not currently valued due to several technical issues, such as their high contamination level and the complexity of sorting them from other small-size particles. Current research focuses on the feasibility of incorporating these PET fines into the film/injection extruders, avoiding this way the need for an intermediate pelletization stage. To allow for such direct incorporation of PET fines into recycling processes, different decontamination and sorting solutions were implemented and tested. The current study is based on analyzing the mechanical properties of PET fines, using laboratory tests such as FTIR, DSC, MFI, moisture content, tensile tests and bending tests. Preliminary results allow foreseeing the successful direct incorporation of PET fines into PET recycling.
- Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Response of Skin Fibroblasts Exposed to ChlorpyrifosPublication . Silva, Zélia; Almeida, Danielle; Marques-da-Silva, Dorinda; Lagoa, Ricardo; Videira, Paula A.Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is a widely used insecticide. The aim of this work was to study the effect of CPF in skin fibroblasts exposed to concentrations detected in human skin and unleash underlying cellular mechanisms. Fibroblasts were exposed to different concentrations (0.36–250 µM) of CPF pure alone or in a commercial CPF mixture (Lethal 20) for 6 days. In conclusion, prolonged exposure to 250 µM of CPF pure and 125 µM of Lethal 20 caused a significant loss of the fibroblast´s viability. Moreover, the toxicity of this pesticide in fibroblasts is evidenced by the induction of oxidative stress and stimulation of the production of interleukin (IL)-6.
- Permeation of chlorpyrifos in ex vivo pig skin – Experimental conditions to get closer to human exposurePublication . Silva, DorindaTrack 3: Environmental chemistry and exposure assessment: analysis, monitoring, fate and modeling 3.06.P-Tu151 Permeation of Chlorpyrifos in Ex Vivo Pig Skin - Experimental Conditions to Get Closer to Human Exposure to air pollutants is not limited to inhalation risk and dermal contact is gaining increasing interest with the possibility to represent a risky carcinogenic route. Chlorpyrifos is a broad-spectrum organophosphorus pesticide used for aerial and ground-based treatments with different permeation values being reported for human skin. Despite the recommendations of the organisation for economic co-operation and development (OECD) to use 50% of ethanol in the receptor fluid for skin permeation of lipophilic compounds (as chlorpyrifos), this condition was suggested to exaggerate its permeation.
- Promotion of Dermal Permeation of Bioactive Compounds Using a Microneedle DevicePublication . Violante, Cristiana; Lagoa, Ricardo; Marques-da-Silva, DorindaSeveral natural bioactive compounds are described for their beneficial effects to skin. Nevertheless, for some compounds, dermal absorption is a challenge, demanding new methods to enhance skin penetration. In this work, pre-treatment with a microneedle device was tested to promote the permeation of caffeine and epicatechin through ex vivo pig skin. The results indicated that the microneedle pre-treatment increased the permeation of both compounds at a similar range. Compared to untreated skin, more than 20% higher amounts of caffeine and epicatechin crossed the treated skin. The data support the application of microneedle systems to promote the dermal delivery of bioactive compounds.
- Qualitative analysis of the limestone waste potential from the Serra de Aire e Candeeiros quarriesPublication . Monteiro, S. M. C. S.; Jorge, Muanassa; Oliveira, N. S.; Alves, M.L.; Veiga, A.; Silva, A.The mountains of Aires and Candeeiros are part of the Maciço Calcário Estremenho where the landscape is predominantly made up of limestone. The limestone explored in the region has been the driver of social and cultural development, contributing significantly to the local economy. This emerging concern has motivated public and private organisations to develop solutions to improve the sector's sustainability. The present work aims to evaluate the limestone waste potential to produce precipitated (PCC) and ground (GCC) calcium carbonate in the region by surveying the local extraction industries that fulfil the defined minimum requirements to produce high quality PCC and GCC. The results allowed to stablish an estimate of the amount of waste resulting from the extraction process. The conversion of these wastes into PCC or GCC constitutes a possibility of recovery into by-products, allowing use in noble and profitable applications and contributing to the circular economy and the sustainability of the sector.
- Recycling of PET fines waste by density separation: a way to circularity of plasticPublication . Heleno, M. L.; Oliveira, N. S.; Gaspar, M.; Silveira, A.; Vasco, J.Plastic is one of the most used materials due to its specific characteristics such as high flexibility and impact resistance, low cost, formability, light weight and recyclability. In this set, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) based materials are among of the most used plastics on the packaging market worldwide. The European strategy for plastics aims to modify the processes of design, production, use and recycling of plastics. It becomes crucial to study solutions to enhance the circularity of plastics in recycling processes. Therefore, it is mandatory to evaluate the potential separation of PET fines resulting from the recycling process of PET bottles (post-consumer waste), which are still contaminated by other polymers and other materials. The recovery of PET fines was successfully achieved with a multistage density plastics separation process, consisting on the use of solutions of different densities and ensuring the adequate wettability of the residues in the solutions. The addition of this multistage separation process by plastics density, improves PET fines recovery, by achieving 91.7% of pure PET fines from plastic material waste.
- Sustainability study of limestone quarry waste into value-added products: PCC and GCCPublication . Monteiro, S. M. C. S.; Jorge, Muanassa; Heleno, M. L.; Oliveira, N. S.; Alves, M. L.; Veiga, A.; Silva, A.Calcium carbonate can be obtained naturally from limestone, chalk, marble, and other sedimentary rock forms. Ground calcium carbonate (GCC) and precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) are two materials that can be produced from natural calcium carbonate. The future of GCC and PCC is promising since they are linked to industries with high demand, such as packaging, building & construction, transportation, and industrial applications, with an expected compound annual growth rate higher than 4% until 2027. This research focuses on the production of GCC and PCC through a comparative analysis that identifies the macro conditions that become advantageous to produce and commercialising PCC in a quarry context. This allows a valorisation of the limestone waste resulting from the extraction operations, converting it into by-products of the process. Not all existing limestone quarries in the Serra de Aire e Candeeiros region are suitable sources of raw material to produce PCC. The five extraction poles were identified with the potential for extracting suitable raw materials, associated with several companies dedicated to the extraction operation in these quarries.
- Synthetic Membranes as an Alternative to Animal Skin to Investigate Dermal Permeation of ChlorpyrifosPublication . Marques-da-Silva, Dorinda; Lagoa, RicardoChlorpyrifos is a pesticide revised as dangerous for human health. While dermal permeation of chlorpyrifos is still poorly investigated, alternatives to animal and/or human skin are demanded. In this work, the suitability of synthetic membranes as alternative models to study dermal permeation of chlorpyrifos was investigated. Silicone and STRAT-M® membranes were tested on Franz cells using different receptor compositions. By adapting the concentration of ethanol in the receptor fluid, the results of chlorpyrifos permeation through both membranes were close to those found in human skin studies, supporting the use of those membranes as non-animal skin-equivalent models.
- Use of Lipid Vesicles for Revealing the Potential Contribution of Cytochrome C in the Metabolism of Environmental ToxicantsPublication . Lopes, João M.; Marques-da-Silva, Dorinda; Videira, Paula A.; Lagoa, RicardoCytochrome c (Cc) is well-known as an electron carrier at mitochondria but can also catalyze peroxidase-like reactions. Although the reported catalytic abilities are low, the role of Cc in transforming environmental toxicants requires additional studies. We employed cardiolipin vesicles to stimulate the enzymatic activity of Cc and tested the catalytic system towards the dye methyl orange and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) benzo[b]fluoranthene and benzo[a]pyrene. The results showed that cardiolipin-containing vesicles promoted dye decolorization and the oxidation of both PAHs by Cc, indicating that lipid membranes can be useful to further investigate Cc–mediated metabolism of toxicants.