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- Advancements in detection and mitigation strategies for Petroleum-Derived contaminants in aquatic environments: a comprehensive reviewPublication . Duarte, Hugo; Aliaño González, María José; Medronho, BrunoThe exponential increase in the production and transportation of petroleum-derived products observed in recent years has been driven by the escalating demand for energy, textiles, plastic-based materials, and other goods derived from petroleum. Consequently, there has been a corresponding rise in spills of these petroleum derivatives, particularly in water sources utilized for transportation or, occasionally, illegally utilized for tank cleaning or industrial equipment maintenance. Numerous researchers have proposed highly effective techniques for detecting these products, aiming to facilitate their cleanup or containment and thereby minimize environmental pollution. However, many of these techniques rely on the identification of individual compounds, which presents significant drawbacks, including complexity of handling, subjectivity, lengthy analysis times, infeasibility for in situ analysis, and high costs. In response, there has been a notable surge in the utilization of sensors or generalized profiling techniques serving as sensors to generate characteristic fingerprints of these products, thereby circumventing the aforementioned disadvantages. This review comprehensively examines the evolution of techniques employed for detecting petroleum-derived products in water samples, along with their associated advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, the review examines current perspectives on methods for the removal and/or containment of these products from water sources, to minimize their environmental impact and the associated health repercussions on living organisms and ecosystems.
- Lignin-furanic rigid foams: Enhanced methylene blue removal capacity, recyclability, and flame retardancyPublication . Duarte, Hugo; Brás, João; Saoudi Hassani, El Mokhtar; Aliaño González, María José; Magalhães, Solange; Alves, Luís; Valente, Artur J. M.; Eivazi, Alireza; Norgren, Magnus; Romano, Anabela; Medronho, BrunoWorldwide, populations face issues related to water and energy consumption. Water scarcity has intensified globally, particularly in arid and semiarid regions. Projections indicate that by 2030, global water demand will rise by 50%, leading to critical shortages, further intensified by the impacts of climate change. Moreover, wastewater treatment needs further development, given the presence of persistent organic pollutants, such as dyes and pharmaceuticals. In addition, the continuous increase in energy demand and rising prices directly impact households and businesses, highlighting the importance of energy savings through effective building insulation. In this regard, tannin-furanic foams are recognized as promising sustainable foams due to their fire resistance, low thermal conductivity, and high water and chemical stability. In this study, tannin and lignin rigid foams were explored not only for their traditional applications but also as versatile materials suitable for wastewater treatment. Furthermore, a systematic approach demonstrates the complete replacement of the tannin-furan foam phenol source with two lignins that mainly differ in molecular weight and pH, as well as how these parameters affect the rigid foam structure and methylene blue (MB) removal capacity. Alkali-lignin-based foams exhibited notable MB adsorption capacity (220 mg g−1), with kinetic and equilibrium data analysis suggesting a multilayer adsorption process. The prepared foams demonstrated the ability to be recycled for at least five adsorption-desorption cycles and exhibited effective flame retardant properties. When exposed to a butane flame for 5 min, the foams did not release smoke or ignite, nor did they contribute to flame propagation, with the red glow dissipating only 20 s after flame exposure.
- On the optimization of carob seed peel extraction using aqueous-based acidic systemsPublication . Medronho, Bruno; boutoub, Oumaima; Duarte, Hugo; Aliaño González, María José; Guerra, Rui; Brazio, António; Gonçalves, Sandra; Romano, AnabelaCarob fruit utilization remains limited, with most of their commercial value derived from locust bean gum, which is obtained from seed endosperm. Efficient extraction requires dehusking, which is traditionally performed under harsh conditions. This study aims to develop and optimize a milder, more sustainable dehusking method while preserving seed quality for industrial applications. Various aqueous-based solvents were tested, leading to the selection of metanesulfonic acid (CH4O3S). A Box-Behnken design with response surface methodology optimized the process, using husk removal efficiency as the response variable. The optimized conditions were 24.5 g of seeds treated in 50 mL of a solvent mixture (41% CH4O3S and 59% H2SO4) at 90 degrees C for 10 min, followed by washing by 5 min with water (87 mL). The treated seeds were analyzed using colorimetry assays and diffusive reflectance spectroscopy and benchmarked against both pristine and dehusked seeds from a local company. The resulting seeds remained morphologically intact and exhibited appealing color characteristics comparable to commercial samples. The optimized method ensured intact seed morphology and color characteristics comparable to commercial standards, offering a viable alternative to conventional H2SO4-based dehusking. Furthermore, this study also highlights for the first time the effectiveness of diffusive reflectance spectroscopy as a rapid and straightforward tool for assessing the dehusking process.