Overview and goals

This thematic line is coordinated by Carla Nunes

“Chemistry and Biochemistry for a Clean Environment” is an important focus of the European societal challenges and to develop methodologies that ensure a clean and healthy environment is the aim of this thematic line. To achieve this, new ways of identifying, assessing, preventing, controlling, or efficiently removing contaminants, thereby reducing human health risks, will be addressed, in parallel with the pursuit of selective and environment friendly catalyst for industrial relevant processes.

The chemistry labs have the expertise to synthesize and characterize new molecules and materials able to degrade contaminants to non-toxic molecules, to adsorb pharmaceutical remains, to obtain heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts to improve industrially relevant reactions. The combined efforts of these labs with those who use and develop analytical methods to handle the new generation pollutants, detecting and identifying them in very low amounts, using state of the art equipment, and biochemists conducting research oriented to the evaluation of their impact on human health will contribute to improve the cleanliness of the environment. The support of groups with expertise in computational studies, determination of properties and characterization of molecules and materials will significantly improve the knowledge needed to live in a Clean Environment, one condition at the heart of the idea of Healthy Ageing!

These potentialities should lead to the creation of environment-friendly and decontamination technologies, new methods for decontamination control and residual hazard assessment, and evaluation of their impact on human health, a driving force for a more effective participation of chemistry and biochemistry in the societal challenges.

Key Publications

2014
Carbon-based Materials Prepared from Pine Gasification Residues for Acetaminophen Adsorption
M. Galhetas, A. S. Mestre, M. L. Pinto, I. Gulyurtlu, H. Lopes, A. P. Carvalho
Chem. Eng. J., 2014, 240: 344
DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2013.11.067

Influence of activated carbons porous structure on iopamidol adsorption
A. S. Mestre, M. Machuqueiro, M. Silva, R. Freire, I. M. Fonseca, M. S. C. S. Santos, M. J. Calhorda, A. P. Carvalho
Carbon, 2014, 77: 607
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2014.05.065

Highly enantioselective olefin epoxidation controlled by helical confined environments
C. I. Fernandes, M. S. Saraiva, T. G. Nunes, P. D. Vaz, C. D. Nunes
J. Catal., 2014, 309: 21
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2013.08.032

2013
New hybrid titanate elongated nanostructures through organic dye molecules sensitization
V. C. Ferreira, O. C. Monteiro
J. Nanoparticle Res., 2013, 15: 1923
DOI: 10.1007/s11051-013-1923-8

Mo(II) complexes of 8-aminoquinoline and their immobilization in MCM-41
M. S. Saraiva, C. D. Nunes, T. G. Nunes, M. J. Calhorda
Appl. Catal. A, 2013, 455: 172
DOI: 10.1016/j.apcata.2013.01.033

Determination of trace levels of benzophenone-type ultra-violet filters in real matrices by bar adsorptive micro-extraction using selective sorbent phases
C. Almeida, A. Stepkowska, A. Alegre, J. M. F. Nogueira
J. Chromatogr. A, 2013, 1311: 1
DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2013.08.007

New Approach for the Extraction of pollutants from Wastewaters Handled by the Graphic Industry
C. Monteiro, C. Ventura, F. Martins
J. Environ. Manag., 2013, 122: 99
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.01.039

Ongoing Projects

Events