ALICE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering

Funder

Organizational Unit

Publications

Nutrient‐efficient catfish‐based aquaponics for producing lamb's lettuce at two light intensities

Publication . Sebastião, Fernando; Vaz, Daniela C.; Pires, Cristiana L; Cruz, Pedro F; Moreno, Maria João; Brito, Rui M M; Cotrim, Luís; Oliveira, Nelson; Costa, Ana; Fonseca, André; Rodrigues, Maria; Ispolnov, Kirill; Bernardino, Raul; Vieira, Judite

BACKGROUND: Aquaponic systems are sustainable processes of managing water and nutrients for food production. An innovate nutrient-efficient catfish-based (Clarias gariepinus) aquaponics system was implemented for producing two cultivars of two leafy vegetables largely consumed worldwide: lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta var. Favor and Valerianella locusta var. de Hollande) and arugula (Eruca vesicaria var. sativa and Eruca sativa). Different growing treatments (4 × 2 factorial design) were applied to plants of each cultivar, grown at two light intensities (120 and 400 ∼mol m−2 s −1). During growth, several morphological characteristics (root length, plant height, leaf number, foliage diameter and biggest leaf length) were measured. At harvest, plants were weighed and examined qualitatively in terms of greenness and health status. Additionally, leaf extracts were obtained and used to determine total phenolic contents, antioxidant capacities, and levels of cytotoxicity to Caco-2 intestinal model cells. RESULTS: After a 5-week growth period, both lamb's lettuce cultivars presented high levels of greenness and health status, at both light intensities, particularly the var. de Hollande that also showed higher average performance in terms of plant morphology. In turn, arugula cultivars showed lower levels of greenness and health status, especially the cultivar E. vesicaria var. sativa submitted to direct sunlight during growth. In addition, plant specimens submitted to higher levels of light intensity showed higher contents in antioxidants/polyphenols. Cultivars with a higher content in antioxidants/polyphenols led to higher Caco-2 cell viability. CONCLUSION: For successful industrial implementation of the aquaponics technology, different and optimized acclimatizing conditions must be applied to different plant species and cultivars. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

2024Journal article

Open access

Eco Efficiency production and environmental impact of pallets based on different materials

Publication . Pulgar, Alejandro Jose Bermudez; Oliveira, Nelson Simões

Pallets made of polymer, metal, and composite materials compete in the global supply chain in accordance with the idea of sustainable development. The supply chain needs pallets that meet specific requirements, such as size, maximum load capacity, durability (lifespan), cost, and additional details are needed about their effects on the environment. Stringer and block pallets, for example, can be arranged in a variety of ways in terms of number, width, and spacing, where the best choice is made by suppliers, distributors, and retailers. A life cycle assessment of pallets, inventory data, goals, and system boundaries were found in 15 publications as result of a systematic and previous review of the literature. Pallets “cradle to grave” process were studied and analyzed using GaBi software integrated with Ecoinvent database to evaluate the environmental footprint (through six environmental impact categories). A CLCA (Consequential Life Cycle Assessment) was employed due to the limited data used in many life cycle phases and the avoidance of allocation through system expansion or substitution. Finally, it was estimated the environmental impact of the product's production and utilization. The impact can vary depending on the type of pallet (material) due to utilization and obtaining (raw material), for instance, a waste plastic pallet is greener than a pallet made of virgin plastic (due to the production of plastic). The eco-impact of a wooden pallet is considerable, however, other alternatives such as, waste plastic and composite pallet appear in specifics industries. And the production of metal pallet has an important eco-impact and limited use, although can be used several cycles, recycled, and reused.

2023-10-30Master thesis

Unknown

Marine-Derived Polysaccharides and Their Potential Health Benefits in Nutraceutical Applications

Publication . Carrasqueira, Joana; Bernardino, Susana; Bernardino, Raul; Afonso, Clélia

Marine-derived polysaccharides have sparked immense interest in the nutraceutical industry as they possess a wide range of bioactivities which are highlighted in this review. These include antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, gut microbiota regulator, anti-diabetic, and anti-obesity. Algae, marine invertebrates, vertebrates, and microorganisms are the main sources of marine polysaccharides, such as alginate, fucoidan, laminarin, carrageenan, chitosan, glycosaminoglycans, and exopolysaccharides. The structure and functional groups of these compounds influence their bioactive properties. Moreover, the functional properties of polysaccharides, such as gelling, thickening, and stabilising capabilities, are also crucial in product development, where they can serve as gluten substitutes in bakery goods and stabilisers in icings, sauces, and yoghurts. The potential of commercial products under development, such as marine polysaccharide supplements, is discussed, along with already commercialised products in the nutraceutical market. This review emphasises the enormous potential of marine-derived polysaccharides as bioactive compounds with health benefits and commercial value.

2025-01-28Journal article

Open access

Reutilização da água residual tratada e das lamas geradas na ETAR da Base Aérea Nº5 – Monte Real na produção de plantas para biofertilização

Publication . Mosquera, Andre Stefano Colmachi; Sousa, Helena Manuela Pala Dias de; Vieira, Judite dos Santos

A água é um recurso vital para a humanidade, essencial em praticamente todas as atividades diárias. A atividade agrícola, em particular, destaca-se como uma das áreas que mais dependem desse recurso, exigindo grandes volumes para garantir a produção alimentar global. Nesse contexto, é crucial adotar tecnologias que visem reduzir o consumo ou promover a reutilização da água, contribuindo assim para sua preservação. O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar a viabilidade da reutilização das águas residuais tratadas e das lamas produzidas na Estação de Tratamento de Águas Residuais (ETAR) da Base Aérea Nº5 de Monte Real na produção de plantas capazes de fixar nutrientes, como fósforo e nitratos, com potencial para serem consideradas biofertilizantes eficazes na melhoria dos solos agrícolas. O estudo foi desenvolvido em duas fases. A primeira envolveu a produção de feijão, uma espécie biofertilizante, em sistemas de pequena escala: um hidropónico com águas residuais da ETAR, usando uma solução nutritiva como controlo; e um sistema de solo/lamas, usando um solo orgânico como controlo. O controlo dos sistemas foi efetuado através da monitorização semanal dos parâmetros de crescimento das plantas, nomeadamente, altura das plantas, número de folhas, comprimento da raiz, número de vagens e número de flores; e de parâmetros físico-químicos, nomeadamente, pH, temperatura e condutividade elétrica. A segunda fase envolveu a aplicação das plantas de feijoeiro na produção de alface em lamas do ETAR, usando-as como biofertilizante, em diferentes percentagens (5% e 10%). O controlo da produção foi efetuado através da monitorização semanal dos parâmetros de crescimento das plantas, nomeadamente, número de folhas e altura da planta; e de parâmetros físico-químicos, nomeadamente, pH, humidade. Os resultados do estudo demonstraram um bom crescimento das plantas de feijoeiro, tanto no sistema hidropónico como nas lamas, com eficiência na remoção de nutrientes, especificamente nos parâmetros N-NO3, PTotal e P-PO4, e sugerem que as plantas produzidas podem ser uma opção viável como biofertilizante, contribuindo para a fixação de nutrientes e melhoria da qualidade do solo, em particular nos solos com mistura de lamas. A utilização do feijoeiro como biofertilizante resultou num maior crescimento das plantas testadas (alface), verificando-se que o crescimento foi mais pronunciado nas lamas com 10% de biofertilizante, em comparação com os outros cultivos. A valorização de águas residuais para produção de biofertilizante (feijoeiro) e das lamas de depuração de ETAR na incorporação em solos agrícolas, com produção de biomassa, permitiram concluir que a lama suplementada com biofertilizante poderá possibilitar uma economia no uso de fertilizantes químicos, e desta forma contribuir para uma gestão eficiente dos subprodutos do processo de tratamento de águas residuais, garantido a sua circularidade.

2024-12-11Master thesis

Open access

Wastewater as a nutrient source for hydroponic production of lettuce: Summer and winter growth

Publication . Santos, Ounísia; Vaz, Daniela; Sebastião, Fernando; Sousa, Helena; Vieira, Judite

Solutions combining soilless cropping systems with wastewater reuse can offer benefits in the agriculture sector, reducing pressure on water resources, promoting sustainable production, and reclaiming wastewater. However, assessing the sanitary risks associated with wastewater reuse is of utmost importance. This study aimed to investigate the hydroponic growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa L.) in wastewater from an urban treatment plant with different levels of treatment and evaluate potential sanitary risks. Crop growth took place in a greenhouse, during summer and winter periods, using wastewater after primary (PTW) or secondary (STW) treatment, and a nutrient solution (NS), as control. Physical and chemical water quality parameters, morphological crop growth parameters, and environmental conditions inside the greenhouse were monitored. Toxicity analyses were carried out through cell viability assays with the Caco-2 cell line and total coliforms and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were determined. Wastewater-grown plants achieved acceptable growth, even though presenting lower fresh weight than NS-plants. STW-plants’ growth was limited essentially by nutrient deficiency, and PTW-plants were affected by nutrient deficiency, pH values, solid load, and N-NO2 concentration. Higher temperatures in summer led to faster crop growth, and lower temperatures in winter allowed better nutrient uptake by the crop. Wastewater-grown plants did not evidence toxicity in leaf extracts up to 1 % w/v. Coliform enumeration data indicated an accumulation in plant roots, with high removal from the wastewater. E. coli was not detected on plants’ leaves and total coliforms were within acceptable limits. Furthermore, the results point to an improvement in the wastewater quality, with minimum removal values of 75.2 % BOD5, 83.1 % COD, 43.4 % P, 44.9 % N, and 90.4 % K. The results demonstrated the viability of wastewater reuse for hydroponic production allowing a better understanding of its processes and contributing to mitigating water scarcity for food production, and the impacts of treated wastewater discharge in freshwater courses, particularly those associated with nutrient delivery to aquatic systems.

2024-08Journal article

Open access