FCT2-Artigos (em revistas ou actas indexadas)
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Percorrer FCT2-Artigos (em revistas ou actas indexadas) por Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) "12:Produção e Consumo Sustentáveis"
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- Antibacterial, antioxidant, and antiproliferative activities of corymbia citriodora and the essential oils of eight eucalyptus speciesPublication . Miguel, Maria da Graça; Gago, Custódia; Estêvão, Maria Dulce da Mota Antunes de Oliveira ; Lagoas, Soraia; Faleiro, Maria Leonor; Megías, Cristina; Cortés-Giraldo, Isabel; Vioque, Javier; Figueiredo, Ana CristinaBackground: Essential oils (EOs) have shown antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antiproliferative activity, which may, alone or in combination with other substances, potentially be used for the development of new drugs. However, their chemical variability, depending on the species, varieties, or geographical origin (among other factors) determines different bioactivities that need to be evaluated. Methods: The antioxidant activity of Corymbia citriodora and eight Eucalyptus species EOs was determined using two different methods: the scavenging ability of 2,20 -azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS+• ) and peroxyl free radicals or oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Antibacterial activity was evaluated using the microorganisms Streptococcus pneumoniae (strains D39 and TIGR4), and Haemophilus influenza (strain DSM 9999). The essential oils’ minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was assessed using a microdilution method. The antiproliferative activity was determined using the THP-1 cell line (human acute monocytic leukaemia) with methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay (MTT). Results: Corymbia citriodora and Eucalyptus viminalis EOs showed the highest ABTS and peroxyl free radical scavenging capacity. Eucalyptus globulus EO showed a high potential to treat Streptococcus pneumoniae infections. Haemophilus influenzae was the respiratory pathogen that showed the highest resistance to all EOs, including tea tree EO. After 96 h of incubation, at 25 µg/mL, Eucalyptus radiata and Eucalyptus viminalis EOs showed highest cytotoxic activity against the THP-1 cell line. Conclusions: Despite their specific bioactivities, no single EO showed simultaneously good antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activity.
- Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of natural compounds: enhance the safety and quality of foodPublication . Faleiro, Maria Leonor; Miguel, Maria da GraçaNature has offered us a tremendous diversity of natural compounds, for which antimicrobial and antioxidant properties have been intensively explored and nowadays are plenty recognized. During the last decades both the antimicrobial action of natural compounds (preventing and limiting microbial growth) and their antioxidant properties (reducing the oxidation of fats and limiting the ripening and browning of fruit and vegetables after harvesting) have been intensively investigated, particularly in the food packaging sector, evidencing that they may represent an effective eco-friendly approach to enhance the safety and quality of food products, without an environmentally deleterious impact.
- Antioxidant activity of myrtus communis l. and myrtus nivellei batt. & trab. extracts: a brief reviewPublication . Hennia, Aicha; Miguel, Maria da Graça; Nemmiche, SaidMyrtus communis L. (myrtle) and Myrtus nivellei Batt. & Trab. (Saharan myrtle) have been used in folk medicine for alleviating some ailments. M. communis is largely distributed in the Mediterranean Basin, whereas M. nivellei is confined in specific zones of the central Saharan mountains. The chemical composition and antioxidant activity of berry and leaf extracts isolated from myrtle are deeply documented, whereas those isolated from Saharan myrtle extracts are less studied. In both species, the major groups of constituents include gallic acid derivatives, flavonols, flavonol derivatives, and hydroxybenzoic acids. In coloured berries, anthocyanins are also present. In M. nivellei extracts are reported for some compounds not described in M. communis so far: 2-hydroxy-1,8-cineole-β-D-glucopyranoside, 2-hydroxy-1,8-cineole 2-O-α-L-arabinofuranosyl (1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside, rugosin A, and rugosin B. Berries and leaves extracts of both species had antioxidant activity. Comparative studies of the antioxidant activity between leaf and berry myrtle extracts revealed that leaf extracts are best antioxidants, which can be assigned to the galloyl derivatives, flavonols, and flavonols derivatives, although the ratio of these groups of compounds might also have an important role in the antioxidant activity. The anthocyanins present in myrtle berries seem to possess weak antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of sample extracts depended on various factors: harvesting time, storage, extraction solvent, extraction type, and plant part used, among other factors. Leaf extracts of myrtle revealed to possess anti-inflammatory activity in several models used. This property has been attributed either to the flavonoids and/or hydrolysable tannins, nevertheless nonprenylated acylphloroglucinols (e.g., myrtucommulone and semimyrtucommulone) have also revealed a remarkable role in that activity. The biological activities of myrtle extracts found so far may direct its use towards for stabilizing complex lipid systems, as prebiotic in food formulations, and as novel therapeutic for the management of inflammation.
- Assessment of piggery wastewater treatment in vertical flow constructed wetlands: role of plants and aerationPublication . Corrêa, D. O.; Ferreira, A.; Ribeiro, B.; Gogoi, J.; Karan, N.; Nalwad, A.; Ganguly, A.; Mutnuri, S.; Gouveia, LuisaPiggery wastewater (PWW), rich in pollutants, poses significant environmental risks if not properly treated. Natural treatment processes, such as constructed wetlands (combined action of plants, substrates, and microbes) and microalgae cultivation, offer sustainable and low-cost alternatives for managing these effluents while enabling resource recovery. This study represents an initial step toward optimizing key operational conditions, such as aeration (passive and active), vegetation presence, and the use of single or sequential Vertical Flow Constructed Wetlands (VFCWs), for the treatment of piggery wastewater, using different experimental setups, at a laboratory scale. Indoor experiments were conducted over an 8-week period to optimize operational conditions for the treatment of PWW. The VFCWs, arranged in two stages and operated in series through gravity flow, were fed daily and monitored weekly. The best removal rates of total Kjeldahl nitrogen (42.9 %), ammoniacal nitrogen (50.3 %), and chemical oxygen demand (20.5 %), were observed in the second stage of VFCW without aeration and with plant. Nitrate and phosphorus levels increased during the experiment, likely due to microbial activity within the substrate and plant root zones. The final goal is to treat the piggery wastewater from a rural farm in India, produce electricity (by a Microbial Fuel Cell), to generate an effluent suitable for microalgae cultivation, with the produced biomass intended for use either as a biostimulant to enhance cereal crops included in pig diets or as a direct nutritional supplement in pig feed.
- Bridging the ESG data gap: transparent metrics and rankings for emerging financial marketsPublication . QACHACH, AZHAR RIM; El Mahrad, Badr; Kharbouch, Omar; Moumen, Aniss; Aoufi, Sara El; Gueddari, Manal El; Abdallah-Ou-Moussa, SoukainaEnvironmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance has become a pivotal driver of firm valuation, investment flows, and capital market stability and a critical dimension of corporate sustainability and investor decision-making. Yet, emerging markets face structural barriers to standardized ESG measurement due to limited data availability and inconsistent disclosures. This study addresses this gap by developing a simplified, transparent and indicator-based ESG assessment model tailored to the Moroccan capital market using publicly available data from 20 companies listed in the MASI ESG Index on the Casablanca Stock Exchange. The framework evaluates 12 equally weighted indicators across environmental, social, and governance pillars, and employs the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) method, to generate firm-level ESG scores and rankings. In addition to equal-weighted rankings, the model was stress-tested using entropy-based and expert-informed weights. Results reveal a wide disparity in ESG maturity: while environmental reporting is relatively advanced, social and governance disclosures lag behind. Top-ranking firms align closely with international frameworks such as GRI, whereas others lack fundamental transparency. By offering a replicable, low-data ESG scoring method applicable to other emerging markets, this research provides actionable insights for investors, regulators, and corporate leaders. The findings contribute to the financial literature on ESG integration, support the design of sustainable investment strategies, and advance policy efforts to strengthen capital market resilience across the MENA region.
- Combining adequate BRUV deployment times with individual photo-identification improves monitoring of shark populations in the CaribbeanPublication . Kohler, Johanna; Gore, Mauvis; Ormond, Rupert; Mason, Katherine; Veeder, Anne; Austin, TimothySharks play a key role in coral reef ecosystems, but Caribbean populations are concerningly low. When monitoring endangered species, it is critical to use minimally invasive tools and protocols that are adequate for local species and the environment. This study investigated the adequate deployment time of baited remote underwater videos (BRUVs) for shark studies in the Cayman Islands and whether the use of photo-identification to recognise individuals (MaxIND) on BRUVs could im prove abundance estimates (in comparison to MaxN) and the analysis of shark behaviour. From 2015 to 2018, a total of 557 BRUVs were deployed with recording times ranging from 3.8 to 211.03 min. The results showed that (1) of the total number of individual sharks recorded on videos, 95% of individuals were recorded within the first 110 min (slight variations between species), (2) MaxIND values were 1.1-1.5 times greater than that of MaxN (ratios varying with species) and (3) time of first arrival (Tarrive) was similar for all recorded species but time spent in front of the camera's field of view (Tvisit) and activity levels (count of entries in camera's field of view) varied between species. The results provide key information to improve the localised monitoring of rare/endangered species and can inform conservation management.
- Customising sustainable bio-based polyelectrolytes: introduction of charged and hydrophobic groups in cellulosePublication . Magalhães, Solange; Aliaño González, María José; Cruz, Pedro F.; Rosenberg, Rose; Haffke, Dirk; Norgren, Magnus; Alves, Luís; Medronho, Bruno; Rasteiro, Maria da GraçaAbstract: Cellulose has been widely explored as a sustainable alternative to synthetic polymers in industrial applications, thanks to its advantageous properties. The introduction of chemical modifications on cellulose structure, focusing on cationic and hydrophobic modifications, can enhance its functionality and expand the range of applications. In the present work, cationization was carried out through a two-step process involving sodium periodate oxidation followed by a reaction with the Girard T reagent, yielding a degree of substitution for cationic groups (DScationic) between 0.3 and 1.8. Hydrophobic modification was achieved via esterification with fatty acids derived from commercial plant oils, using an enzyme-assisted, environmentally friendly method. Lipase-catalysed hydrolysis, optimised at 0.25% enzyme concentration and with a 1 h reaction time, produced an 84% yield of fatty acids, confirmed by FTIR and NMR analyses. The degree of substitution for hydrophobic groups (DShydrophobic) ranged from 0.09 to 0.66. The molecular weight (MW) of the modified cellulose derivatives varied from 1.8 to 141 kDa. This dual modification strategy enables the creation of cellulose-based polymers with controlled electrostatic and hydrophobic characteristics, customisable for specific industrial applications. Our approach presents a sustainable and flexible solution for developing cellulose derivatives tailored to diverse industrial needs.
- Design, environment, energy, and comfort in buildings equipped with a PMV-controlled HVAC systemPublication . Conceição, Eusébio; Conceição, Margarida; Conceição, Maria Inês; Lúcio, Maria Manuela Jacinto do Rosário; Awbi, HazimThis work presents a study about the design, environment, energy, and comfort in buildings equipped with a Predicted Mean Vote (PMV)-controlled HVAC system. The control system, based on the three categories of the international standard ISO 7730 uses the level of thermal comfort instead of the traditional control of the air temperature. In this type of control, using the PMV index, the air temperature (Tair), air relative humidity (RHair), Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT), air velocity (Vair), level of clothing (CL), and level of physical activity (AL) are considered. The initial four parameters are associated with environmental ones, and the last two are associated with personal ones. The simulation is carried out using a simulator of the dynamic thermal response of buildings and the thermophysiology of the occupants. The simulator considers energy and mass balance integral equations, based on the building’s design. This equation system is generated by the simulator. In this study, three cases are performed: Categories A, B, and C. According to the results obtained, it is possible to verify that it takes some time to achieve acceptable comfort conditions when the HVAC system is connected. However, after the conditions are achieved, the system guarantees acceptable conditions during the occupancy time. Category A provides higher levels of energy consumption than Categories B and C.
- Edible coatings enhance storability and preserve quality of kiwiberry (Actinidia arguta L.) cv. Ken’s RedPublication . Guerreiro, Adriana; Gago, Custódia; Passos, Dário; Martins, Jaime; Cruz, Sandra P.; Guerra, Rui; Veloso, Fernão; Antunes, Maria DulceKiwiberries, an emerging fruit variety with increasing consumer demand, face significant commercialization challenges due to their short shelf life. This study evaluates the effectiveness of edible alginate-based coatings in extending the shelf life of kiwiberries. Two emulsion types—coarse (Coarse) and nanoemulsions (Nano)—and two application methods—spraying (Spray) and dipping (Dip)—were tested. Additionally, the use of visible/near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy for non-destructive quality monitoring was explored. Coatings were prepared with 2% (w/v) alginate (SAlg) enriched with eugenol (Eg) and citral (Ct) at their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.10% and 0.15%, respectively, as well as at double these concentrations. This resulted in a total of ten different treatments. The fruits were stored at approximately 5 ◦C, with evaluations conducted after 5 days, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks. Quality parameters, including color, firmness, soluble solid content (SSC), dry matter, weight loss, decay, total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoids, DPPH, FRAP, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, were analyzed. Over the storage period, color and SSC increased, while firmness decreased. Weight loss and MDA levels showed the most significant changes, particularly in treatments with higher essential oil concentrations. Notably, treatments such as SAlg Spray, SAlg Dip, SAlg Ct 0.15 + Eg 0.1 Nano Spray, SAlg Ct 0.15 + Eg 0.1 Nano Dip, and SAlg Ct 0.15 + Eg 0.1 Coarse Dip demonstrated superior preservation of kiwiberry quality. Moreover, Vis-NIR spectroscopy proved valuable for distinguishing between coating treatments, highlighting its potential for non-destructive quality assessment.
- Efficacy of slow sand filtration enriched with trichoderma atroviride in the control of fusarium oxysporum in soilless cultivation systemsPublication . Matias, Pedro; Guerreiro David Coelho, Luísa Isabel; Reis, MárioOn a planet intending to move toward carbon neutrality while ensuring food security, maximizing water and nutrient use efficiency in agriculture is essential. Soilless cultivation offers a promising solution for food production, yet in substrate-based systems, excess nutrient solution (drainage) is often discarded to maintain phytosanitary safety, resulting in considerable water and nutrient waste. Reusing this drainage requires disinfection to eliminate pathogens. Among available methods, slow sand filtration (SSF) is ecological, economical, and simple, showing strong biological control potential, though not always fully effective against Fusarium oxysporum. Trichoderma atroviride, an antagonistic fungus, may enhance SSF performance. Its antagonistic capacity was evaluated in vitro via direct confrontation assays and in vivo using a closed-loop soilless cucumber cultivation system with eight treatment combinations of SSF, T. atroviride, and F. oxysporum. SSF reduced F. oxysporum incidence by approximately 48%, T. atroviride in irrigation by 44%, and SSF enriched with T. atroviride reached 58% disease incidence reduction, though this increase was not statistically significant. These results confirm that both SSF and T. atroviride can partially suppress F. oxysporum, but further optimization is needed for consistent and complete pathogen control.