The rapid growth of the automobile industry has substantially increased end-of-life tires(ELT)production with over 2300 million units manufactured in 2022.Despite known processes to recover materials and energy from E...The rapid growth of the automobile industry has substantially increased end-of-life tires(ELT)production with over 2300 million units manufactured in 2022.Despite known processes to recover materials and energy from ELT,a significant number of tires still end up in landfills,posing environmental problems.Pyrolysis offers a promising alternative to produce energy and marketable products like recovered carbon black(rCB).Incorpo-rating rCB into rubber matrices shows potential for partially replacing commercial carbon black,but more research is required to understand its reinforcing effects and recyclability through repeated pyrolysis cycles.Furthermore,tire composition variability affects rCB quality,challenging consistent production for market ap-plications.Post-treatments like activation and demineralization enhance rCB properties but pose challenges,with higher activation degrees improving pore structure but reducing carbon content while demineralization removes impurities but raises concerns about chemical use and equipment wear.Further research is needed to develop scalable and economically viable post-treatments along with their life cycle assessment.Here,a comprehensive literature review on rCB activation and demineralization is presented and,since the ultimate goal is to reuse rCB in the production of new tires,the rCB incorporation into rubber matrices is also reviewed.展开更多
Recently,a disruptive idea was reported about the discovery of a new type of battery named Liquid Displacement Battery(LDB)comprising liquid metal electrodes and molten salt electrolyte.This cell featured a novel conc...Recently,a disruptive idea was reported about the discovery of a new type of battery named Liquid Displacement Battery(LDB)comprising liquid metal electrodes and molten salt electrolyte.This cell featured a novel concept of a porous electronically conductive faradaic membrane instead of the traditional ion-selective ceramic membrane.LDBs are attractive for stationary storage applications but need mitigation against self-discharge.In the instant battery chemistry,Li|LiCl-PbCl_(2)|Pb,reducing the diffusion coefficient of lead ions can be a way forward and a solution can be the addition of Pb O to the electrolyte.The latter acts as a supplementary barrier and complements the function of the faradaic membrane.The remedial actions improved the cell’s coulombic efficiency from 92%to 97%without affecting the voltage efficiency.In addition,the limiting current density of a 500 m Ah cell increased from 575 to 831 m A cm;and the limiting power from 2.53 to 3.66 W.Finally,the effect of Pb O on the impedance and polarization of the cell was also studied.展开更多
Chronic wounds incidence is increasing and affects millions of people around the world,causing great psychological and socio-economic impacts.However,treatments that can effectively promote wound healing are still lac...Chronic wounds incidence is increasing and affects millions of people around the world,causing great psychological and socio-economic impacts.However,treatments that can effectively promote wound healing are still lacking.In this study,grape pomace(GP),the main residue from winemaking production was explored as a source of high added-value raw material directed for the topical treatment of Staphylococcus aureus chronic wound infections.Crude GP extracts(composed of stalks or a skin and seeds mixture-from red and white grape varieties)obtained using a modified solid-liquid extraction(water,ethanol,and acetone solvents)were evaluated for their antioxidant capacity(ABTS and DPPH assays),as well as the richness of phenolic compounds(total phenolic content-TPC,total flavonoid content-TFC,and HPLC-DAD assays).The GP extracts with the most favorable results were incorporated in a chitosan-alginate hydrogel(cross-linked with glutaraldehyde and calcium chloride),characterized(swelling,degradation,and release properties),and tested for its bioactivity(antioxidant and antimicrobial potential).TPC and TFC were higher in red GP extracts,as confirmed by the HPLC analysis,indicating a greater diversity of compounds in these extracts.Ethanolic white GP extracts(from skinseeds mixture)showed the highest extraction yield and antioxidant activity.Their incorporation into the chitosan-alginate hydrogel improved its swelling and antimicrobial properties(total cytoplasmic membranes disruption and culturability reduction).A biomaterial with high swelling capacity and antibacterial activity against S.aureus was obtained,which can potentially promote wound healing by exudate absorption and infection clearance while promoting valorization of by-products and stimulating a circular economy.展开更多
The widespread and indiscriminate use of biocides poses significant threats to global health,socioeconomic development,and environmental sustainability by accelerating antibiotic resistance.Bacterial resistance develo...The widespread and indiscriminate use of biocides poses significant threats to global health,socioeconomic development,and environmental sustainability by accelerating antibiotic resistance.Bacterial resistance development is highly complex and influenced significantly by environmental factors.Increased biocide usage in households,agriculture,livestock farming,industrial settings,and hospitals produces persistent chemical residues that pollute soil and aquatic environments.Such contaminants contribute to the selection and proliferation of resistant bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes(ARGs),facilitating their dissemination among humans,animals,and ecosystems.In this review,we conduct a critical assessment of four significant issues pertaining to this topic.Specifically,(i)the role of biocides in exerting selective pressure within the environmental resistome,thereby promoting the proliferation of resistant microbial populations and contributing to the global spread of antimicrobial resistance genes(ARGs);(ii)the role of biocides in triggering transient phenotypic adaptations in bacteria,including efflux pump overexpression,membrane alterations,and reduced porin expression,which often result in cross-resistance to multiple antibiotics;(iii)the capacity of biocides to disrupt bacteria and make the genetic content accessible,releasing DNA into the environment that remains intact under certain conditions,facilitating horizontal gene transfer and the spread of resistance determinants;(iv)the capacity of biocides to disrupt bacterial cells,releasing intact DNA into the environment and enhancing horizontal gene transfer of resistance determinants;and(iv)the selective interactions between biocides and bacterial biofilms in the environment,strengthening biofilm cohesion,inducing resistance mechanisms,and creating reservoirs for resistant microorganisms and ARG dissemination.Collectively,this review highlights the critical environmental and public health implications of biocide use,emphasizing an urgent need for strategic interventions to mitigate their role in antibiotic resistance proliferation.展开更多
This work aimed to study and compare the effect of the incorporation of agro-industrial by-products(chestnut shell,grapeseed,and pomegranate peel)into yoghurts to fortify them while assessing their potential to replac...This work aimed to study and compare the effect of the incorporation of agro-industrial by-products(chestnut shell,grapeseed,and pomegranate peel)into yoghurts to fortify them while assessing their potential to replace synthetic preservatives.From each by-product,phenolic extracts were obtained and characterized.All extracts demonstrated antioxidant and antibacterial properties,and the capacity to inhibitα-amylase.Chestnut shell extract stood out regarding antioxidant capacity,displaying values of 1128 and 972 mgT_(rolox•gextract)^(-1),for the assays with DPPH and ABTS,respectively.Ten yoghurts were produced(negative control,positive control with 0.1%of sorbic acid,two for each extract with 0.1%and 0.2%of extract,a mixture of extracts and a mixture of extracts with sorbic acid),and stored at 4℃.The incorporation of the extracts into the yoghurts maintained their physical-chemical properties and microbiological safety.The samples inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.Oxidative analysis proved that higher concentrations of extract had similar results to synthetic antioxidants.The results showed the viability to fortify yoghurts with the incorporation of by-product extracts,developing a value-added food.Furthermore,revealed the possibility of these extracts replacing synthetic preservatives and antioxidants.展开更多
The unprecedented problem of antibiotic resistance has become a major challenge for public health,which has contributed to an increase in infections caused by such bacteria.These microbial infections,typically biofilm...The unprecedented problem of antibiotic resistance has become a major challenge for public health,which has contributed to an increase in infections caused by such bacteria.These microbial infections,typically biofilm-related,are alsocoupled to an increase in human mortality and morbidity.However,the demand for new antimicrobial agents hasincreased along with the evolution of microbial resistance mechanisms.Natural products produced by bacteria,such as phenazines,have been recognized as an important source for the development of new antimicrobial agents,through the exploitation of their capacity to increase oxidative stress in other organisms.Phenazines are a large groupof nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds and are essential for several cellular processes including iron acquisition,signaling events,enzymatic processes,and biofilm formation.Phenazine-inspired antibiotics(i.e.,2-bromo-1-hydroxyphenazine,2,4-dibromo-1-hydroxyphenazine,bromophenazine-21,phenazine-13,and phenazine-14)are veryactive against a wide range of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria,including those associated with severe infections.In this study,mechanisms of phenazine-inspired antibiotics in the cellular processes of planktonic and sessilebacteria are reviewed.Moreover,the application of phenazine-inspired antibiotics for the eradication of multidrugresistant planktonic and biofilm bacterial infections is also reviewed.展开更多
For sustainable plant drinks production,the biorefinery concept of obtained press cakes(PC)using ultrasonication,mechanical separation,and ultra-filtration was designed in Fraunhofer UMSICHT(Germany).In this study obt...For sustainable plant drinks production,the biorefinery concept of obtained press cakes(PC)using ultrasonication,mechanical separation,and ultra-filtration was designed in Fraunhofer UMSICHT(Germany).In this study obtained permeates,as wastes after ultrafiltration of PC(soyabeans,almonds,coconut,oats,and rice)were analyzed and their bio-stimulatory effect on the growth of wheatgrass in vivo was investigated.Permeates with higher soluble protein content(soy,almonds,and coconut)resulted in a significant increase in germination parameters(germination percentage(GP),length of stem and root as well as biomass of stem and root increased on averge by 8.3%,15.8%,9.2%,2.22 times and 1.8 times,respectively)compared to the control treatment.Additionally,the fermentation using antimicrobial lactic acid bacteria(LAB)strains(Lactobacillus brevis LUHS173,Pediococcus acidilactici LUHS236 and Lactobacillus farraginis LUHS206)was applied for bio-treatment of permeates.The efficiency of fermentation process was evaluated on the changes of pH,TTA,LAB growth kinetics and lactic acid and its isomers production.Furthermore,the antifungal activity of selected fermented products against fungi(Fusarium graminearum F,F.graminearum,and F.culmorum)was determined.It was found that the highest antifungal activity(18.0 mm and 16.5 mm,respectively)was obtained by 48 h fermentation of permeates from grain press cake(oats and rice),containing the most reducing saccharides,and they significantly improved the germination of contaminated grains.Innovations in the sustainable production of plant-origin drinks enable to implementation of new,environmentally friendly technologies in food sector.展开更多
基金financed by national funds through the FCT/MCTES(PIDDAC)the support of“H2 Driven Green Agenda”,nr.C644923817-00000037,investment project nr.50+1 种基金financed by the Recovery and Resilience Plan(PRR)by European Union-Next Generation EU.
文摘The rapid growth of the automobile industry has substantially increased end-of-life tires(ELT)production with over 2300 million units manufactured in 2022.Despite known processes to recover materials and energy from ELT,a significant number of tires still end up in landfills,posing environmental problems.Pyrolysis offers a promising alternative to produce energy and marketable products like recovered carbon black(rCB).Incorpo-rating rCB into rubber matrices shows potential for partially replacing commercial carbon black,but more research is required to understand its reinforcing effects and recyclability through repeated pyrolysis cycles.Furthermore,tire composition variability affects rCB quality,challenging consistent production for market ap-plications.Post-treatments like activation and demineralization enhance rCB properties but pose challenges,with higher activation degrees improving pore structure but reducing carbon content while demineralization removes impurities but raises concerns about chemical use and equipment wear.Further research is needed to develop scalable and economically viable post-treatments along with their life cycle assessment.Here,a comprehensive literature review on rCB activation and demineralization is presented and,since the ultimate goal is to reuse rCB in the production of new tires,the rCB incorporation into rubber matrices is also reviewed.
基金financially supported by the research unit of Group Sadoway Laboratory,Department of Materials Science and Engineering,Massachusetts Institute of Technology,77 Massachusetts Avenue,Cambridge,MA,02139-4307,United Statesthe Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology(FCT)for his Ph.D.scholarship(PD/BD/128041/2016)+2 种基金financially supported by the Base Funding(UIDB/00511/2020)of the Laboratory for Process Engineering,Environment,Biotechnology and Energy–LEPABEfunded by national funds through the FCT/MCTES(PIDDAC)continuous support from MIT Portugal Program。
文摘Recently,a disruptive idea was reported about the discovery of a new type of battery named Liquid Displacement Battery(LDB)comprising liquid metal electrodes and molten salt electrolyte.This cell featured a novel concept of a porous electronically conductive faradaic membrane instead of the traditional ion-selective ceramic membrane.LDBs are attractive for stationary storage applications but need mitigation against self-discharge.In the instant battery chemistry,Li|LiCl-PbCl_(2)|Pb,reducing the diffusion coefficient of lead ions can be a way forward and a solution can be the addition of Pb O to the electrolyte.The latter acts as a supplementary barrier and complements the function of the faradaic membrane.The remedial actions improved the cell’s coulombic efficiency from 92%to 97%without affecting the voltage efficiency.In addition,the limiting current density of a 500 m Ah cell increased from 575 to 831 m A cm;and the limiting power from 2.53 to 3.66 W.Finally,the effect of Pb O on the impedance and polarization of the cell was also studied.
基金LA/P/0045/2020(ALiCE,DOI:10.54499/LA/P/0045/2020),UIDB/00511/2020 and UIDP/00511/2020(LEPABE,DOI:10.54499/UIDB/00511/2020,DOI:10.54499/UIDP/00511/2020)funded by national funds through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology(FCT)/MCTES(PIDDAC,Lisbon,Portugal)Project POMACE4Wounds-Valorization of grape pomace by-products as antibiotic resistance modifiers to counteract biofilms-associated chronic wound infections(IJUP2021-SOG-RAPE-23)funded by SOGRAPE VINHOS,Portugal through the IJUPCompanies 2021 Edition,an Initiation Research Programme(IJUP Multidisciplinary Projects Programme)of the University of Porto(U.Porto,Porto,Portugal)+1 种基金Project InnovAntiBiofilm(ref.101157363)financed by European Commission(Horizon-Widera 2023-Acess-02/Horizon-CSA)the FCT(Lisbon,Portugal)for the financial support of her work contract through the Scientific Employment Stimulus-Individual Call-[CEECIND/00823/2021,DOI:10.54499/2021.00823.CEECIND/CP1679/CT0014].
文摘Chronic wounds incidence is increasing and affects millions of people around the world,causing great psychological and socio-economic impacts.However,treatments that can effectively promote wound healing are still lacking.In this study,grape pomace(GP),the main residue from winemaking production was explored as a source of high added-value raw material directed for the topical treatment of Staphylococcus aureus chronic wound infections.Crude GP extracts(composed of stalks or a skin and seeds mixture-from red and white grape varieties)obtained using a modified solid-liquid extraction(water,ethanol,and acetone solvents)were evaluated for their antioxidant capacity(ABTS and DPPH assays),as well as the richness of phenolic compounds(total phenolic content-TPC,total flavonoid content-TFC,and HPLC-DAD assays).The GP extracts with the most favorable results were incorporated in a chitosan-alginate hydrogel(cross-linked with glutaraldehyde and calcium chloride),characterized(swelling,degradation,and release properties),and tested for its bioactivity(antioxidant and antimicrobial potential).TPC and TFC were higher in red GP extracts,as confirmed by the HPLC analysis,indicating a greater diversity of compounds in these extracts.Ethanolic white GP extracts(from skinseeds mixture)showed the highest extraction yield and antioxidant activity.Their incorporation into the chitosan-alginate hydrogel improved its swelling and antimicrobial properties(total cytoplasmic membranes disruption and culturability reduction).A biomaterial with high swelling capacity and antibacterial activity against S.aureus was obtained,which can potentially promote wound healing by exudate absorption and infection clearance while promoting valorization of by-products and stimulating a circular economy.
基金supported by national funds through FCT/MCTES(PIDDAC):LEPABE,UIDB/00511/2020(DOI:10.54499/UIDB/00511/2020)UIDP/00511/2020(DOI:10.54499/UIDP/00511/2020)+2 种基金ALiCE,LA/P/0045/2020(DOI:10.54499/LA/P/0045/2020)by Project Innov Anti Biofilm(ref.101157363)financed by European Commission(Horizon-Widera 2023-Acess-02/Horizon-CSA)Mariana Sousa's PhD scholarship(2023.00337.BD)is provided by The Foundation for Science and Technology(FCT).
文摘The widespread and indiscriminate use of biocides poses significant threats to global health,socioeconomic development,and environmental sustainability by accelerating antibiotic resistance.Bacterial resistance development is highly complex and influenced significantly by environmental factors.Increased biocide usage in households,agriculture,livestock farming,industrial settings,and hospitals produces persistent chemical residues that pollute soil and aquatic environments.Such contaminants contribute to the selection and proliferation of resistant bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes(ARGs),facilitating their dissemination among humans,animals,and ecosystems.In this review,we conduct a critical assessment of four significant issues pertaining to this topic.Specifically,(i)the role of biocides in exerting selective pressure within the environmental resistome,thereby promoting the proliferation of resistant microbial populations and contributing to the global spread of antimicrobial resistance genes(ARGs);(ii)the role of biocides in triggering transient phenotypic adaptations in bacteria,including efflux pump overexpression,membrane alterations,and reduced porin expression,which often result in cross-resistance to multiple antibiotics;(iii)the capacity of biocides to disrupt bacteria and make the genetic content accessible,releasing DNA into the environment that remains intact under certain conditions,facilitating horizontal gene transfer and the spread of resistance determinants;(iv)the capacity of biocides to disrupt bacterial cells,releasing intact DNA into the environment and enhancing horizontal gene transfer of resistance determinants;and(iv)the selective interactions between biocides and bacterial biofilms in the environment,strengthening biofilm cohesion,inducing resistance mechanisms,and creating reservoirs for resistant microorganisms and ARG dissemination.Collectively,this review highlights the critical environmental and public health implications of biocide use,emphasizing an urgent need for strategic interventions to mitigate their role in antibiotic resistance proliferation.
基金supported by:LA/P/0045/2020(ALiCE)UIDB/00511/2020 and UIDP/00511/2020(LEPABE)funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES(PIDDAC).
文摘This work aimed to study and compare the effect of the incorporation of agro-industrial by-products(chestnut shell,grapeseed,and pomegranate peel)into yoghurts to fortify them while assessing their potential to replace synthetic preservatives.From each by-product,phenolic extracts were obtained and characterized.All extracts demonstrated antioxidant and antibacterial properties,and the capacity to inhibitα-amylase.Chestnut shell extract stood out regarding antioxidant capacity,displaying values of 1128 and 972 mgT_(rolox•gextract)^(-1),for the assays with DPPH and ABTS,respectively.Ten yoghurts were produced(negative control,positive control with 0.1%of sorbic acid,two for each extract with 0.1%and 0.2%of extract,a mixture of extracts and a mixture of extracts with sorbic acid),and stored at 4℃.The incorporation of the extracts into the yoghurts maintained their physical-chemical properties and microbiological safety.The samples inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.Oxidative analysis proved that higher concentrations of extract had similar results to synthetic antioxidants.The results showed the viability to fortify yoghurts with the incorporation of by-product extracts,developing a value-added food.Furthermore,revealed the possibility of these extracts replacing synthetic preservatives and antioxidants.
基金supported by Base Funding-LA/P/0045/2020(ALiCE),UIDB/00511/2020,and UIDP/00511/2020(LEPABE)funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES(PIDDAC)Project Germirrad-POCI-01-0247-FEDER-072237 funded by FEDER funds through COMPETE2020-ProgramaOperacional Competitividade e Internacionalização(POCI)andby national funds(PIDDAC)through FCT/MCTES.
文摘The unprecedented problem of antibiotic resistance has become a major challenge for public health,which has contributed to an increase in infections caused by such bacteria.These microbial infections,typically biofilm-related,are alsocoupled to an increase in human mortality and morbidity.However,the demand for new antimicrobial agents hasincreased along with the evolution of microbial resistance mechanisms.Natural products produced by bacteria,such as phenazines,have been recognized as an important source for the development of new antimicrobial agents,through the exploitation of their capacity to increase oxidative stress in other organisms.Phenazines are a large groupof nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds and are essential for several cellular processes including iron acquisition,signaling events,enzymatic processes,and biofilm formation.Phenazine-inspired antibiotics(i.e.,2-bromo-1-hydroxyphenazine,2,4-dibromo-1-hydroxyphenazine,bromophenazine-21,phenazine-13,and phenazine-14)are veryactive against a wide range of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria,including those associated with severe infections.In this study,mechanisms of phenazine-inspired antibiotics in the cellular processes of planktonic and sessilebacteria are reviewed.Moreover,the application of phenazine-inspired antibiotics for the eradication of multidrugresistant planktonic and biofilm bacterial infections is also reviewed.
基金This research was supported in part by the ERA-NET project DISCOVERY:“Disaggregation of conventional vegetable press cakes by novel techniques to receive new products and to increase the yield”.Project code SUSFOOD2-ID:101.This work is also based upon the work from COST Action 18101 SOURDOMICS-Sourdough biotechnology network towards novel,healthier and sustainable food and bioprocesses(http s://sourdomics.com/https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA18101/),where the author J.M.F.R.is the Chair and Grant Holder Scientific Representative,the author E.B.is vice-chair and leader of the working group 6“Project design and development innovative prototypes of products and small-scale processing technologies”,the author G.J.is leader of the working group 3“Design and development sourdough starter cultures for breadmaking and other agri-food products”and the author F.¨O.is the leader of the working group 8“Food safety,health promoting,sensorial perception and consumers’behaviour”,and is supported by COST(European Cooperation in Science and Technology)(https://www.cost.eu/).COST is a funding agency for research and innovation networks.Regarding the author J.M.F.R.,this work was also financially supported by:(i)Base Funding-UIDB/00511/2020 of the Laboratory for Process Engineering,Environment,Biotechnology and Energy-LEPABE-funded by national funds through the FCT/MCTES(PIDDAC)(ii)Project PTDC/EQU-EQU/28101/2017-SAFEGOAL-Safer Synthetic Turf Pitches with Infill of Rubber Crumb from Recycled Tires,funded by FEDER funds through COMPETE2020-Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalizaç˜ao(POCI)and by national funds(PIDDAC)through FCT/MCTES.
文摘For sustainable plant drinks production,the biorefinery concept of obtained press cakes(PC)using ultrasonication,mechanical separation,and ultra-filtration was designed in Fraunhofer UMSICHT(Germany).In this study obtained permeates,as wastes after ultrafiltration of PC(soyabeans,almonds,coconut,oats,and rice)were analyzed and their bio-stimulatory effect on the growth of wheatgrass in vivo was investigated.Permeates with higher soluble protein content(soy,almonds,and coconut)resulted in a significant increase in germination parameters(germination percentage(GP),length of stem and root as well as biomass of stem and root increased on averge by 8.3%,15.8%,9.2%,2.22 times and 1.8 times,respectively)compared to the control treatment.Additionally,the fermentation using antimicrobial lactic acid bacteria(LAB)strains(Lactobacillus brevis LUHS173,Pediococcus acidilactici LUHS236 and Lactobacillus farraginis LUHS206)was applied for bio-treatment of permeates.The efficiency of fermentation process was evaluated on the changes of pH,TTA,LAB growth kinetics and lactic acid and its isomers production.Furthermore,the antifungal activity of selected fermented products against fungi(Fusarium graminearum F,F.graminearum,and F.culmorum)was determined.It was found that the highest antifungal activity(18.0 mm and 16.5 mm,respectively)was obtained by 48 h fermentation of permeates from grain press cake(oats and rice),containing the most reducing saccharides,and they significantly improved the germination of contaminated grains.Innovations in the sustainable production of plant-origin drinks enable to implementation of new,environmentally friendly technologies in food sector.
