Integrated system for macroalgae production and conversion into biogas

Recently research on energy from macroalgae is being reconsidered driven by the following factors: fuel price increase, CO2 mitigation policies and interest on renewable energy sources after the Kyoto protocol, and need for energy crops not competing with land for food production. However, the commercial expansion of this energy source is limited by its economic feasibility. In this presentation we analyse the development of integrated systems that promote synergies between macroalgae/biogas production and activities such as aquaculture and urban wastewater treatment. The recycling of nutrients and CO2 by macroalgae can be an opportunity to reduce the biomass-biogas production cost. Other advantage is the proximity between biomass production, conversion into energy and its consumption, thus avoiding energy losses and pollution in transportation. Experimental work is underway and includes batch tests to evaluate biodegradability of Ulva spp. and Gracilaria sp. and co-digestion of these macroalgae with sewage sludge from Beirolas wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Furthermore, continuous co-digestion experiments are planned to be carried out in a 30 L experimental reactor to be placed in the same WWTP. The objectives are to reproduce sludge digestion in Beirolas WWTP and evaluate algae/sludge co-digestion performance. Preliminary results indicate methane yields in accordance with similar batch experiments, whereby our CH4 yields per volatile solids added range between 0.14-0.20 m3 CH4 kg-1 VSadded against 0.16-0.27 m3 CH4 kg-1 VSadded [1,2] depending on the algae species and pretreatment. Overall, Ulva sp. shows a better performance over Gracilaria sp. as also confirmed in other experiments [1]

Ciência na Ponta dos Dedos: Scientific Activities for Children under 10

In the context of the “Projeto” of the 3rd year of “Licenciatura em Biologia Aplicada” it was proposed to develop experimental activities connected with science for 1st to 4th grade students. This initiative was named Ciência na Ponta dos Dedos and was presented in the scope of “Festa da Ciência 2014”, an event of the Escola de Ciências of Universidade do Minho, which happens every year during May (and lasted this year from 12th to 14th of May). The first edition of Ciência na Ponta dos Dedos was offered to 1st grade students (6-7 years old). A mini laboratory where children could see, try and participate in scientific hands-on activities was created for the initiative. The experimental activities were designed and settled in accordance with curricular guidelines, age [1,2,3] and in the scope of the theme “water source of life” through the development of six different activities where the children, organized in groups, had the opportunity to explore aspects connected with the (i) reaction of an acid with sodium bicarbonate in water, (ii) dissolution of different substances in water,(iii) permeability of different soils, (iv) water cycle through the observation of a mini ecosystem, (v) observation on the microscope of the stoma of the plants and (vi) the colouring of carnations by capillarity using several dyes. These activities were carried out in such an environment that kids’ eyes had light up as brightly when doing the science lab activities Children could feel free to express their ideas and participate in the activities to build applicable knowledge in the context of experimental science. This kind of learning comes easier to children if they can touch and make the experiments by themselves, though with a proper supervision, allowing the children to think and to learn that “if I do this, that will happen“, so “in order that to happen, I will have to make this” [2]. In the sequence of these experimental activities, children were asked to fill in an inquiry, previously prepared in order to know their opinion about the activities they performed, including their favourite ones. This survey will also provide some new ideas to improve future similar events.The present communication intends to present the project and its success near the children and their teachers, as well as to highlight the importance of scientific knowledge. Quoting some children: “the activities were very funny and I learned new things”, “I learned why oil does not mix with water” and “I learned that the noses of the plants are in their leaves”. In a developing society it is more and more important that the education system makes science stand out from the early years of school in order to form citizens able to deal efficiently with the challenges and the necessities of the current society [2].info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Plasma levels of procalcitonin and eight additional inflammatory molecules in febrile neutropenic patients

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the association between different inflammatory markers and specific clinical endpoints in patients with febrile neutropenia. METHOD: We prospectively evaluated the expression of procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin 8 (IL-8), induced protein-10, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), two soluble TNF-a receptors (sTNF-R I and sTNF-R II), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha, and eotaxin in 37 episodes of febrile neutropenia occurring in 31 hospitalized adult onco-hematologic patients. Peripheral blood samples were collected in the morning at inclusion (day of fever onset) and on days 1, 3, and 7 after the onset of fever. Approximately 2-3 ml of plasma was obtained from each blood sample and stored at -80°C. RESULTS: The sTNF-R II level at inclusion (day 1), the PCT level on the day of fever onset, and the change (day 3 - day 1) in the IL-8 and eotaxin levels were significantly higher in patients who died during the 28-day follow-up. A requirement for early adjustment of antimicrobial treatment was associated with higher day 3 levels of IL-8, sTNF-R II, PCT, and MCP-1. CONCLUSION: Procalcitonin, sTNF-R II, IL-8, MCP-1, and eotaxin could potentially be used to assess the risk of death and the requirement for early adjustment of antimicrobial treatment in febrile, neutropenic onco-hematologic patients. The levels of the other markers showed no association with any of the evaluated endpoints

A biorefinery from Nannochloropsis sp. microalga – Energy and CO2 emission and economic analyses

Are microalgae a potential energy source for biofuel production? This paper presents the laboratory results from a Nannochloropsis sp. microalga biorefinery for the production of oil, high-value pigments, and biohydrogen (bioH2). The energy consumption and CO2 emissions involved in the whole process (microalgae cultivation, harvest, dewater, mill, extraction and leftover biomass fermentation) were evaluated. An economic evaluation was also performed. Oil was obtained by soxhlet (SE) and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). The bioH2 was produced by fermentation of the leftover biomass. The oil production pathway by SE shows the lowest value of energy consumption, 177-245 MJ/MJprod, and CO2 emissions, 13–15 kgCO2/MJprod. Despite consuming and emitting c.a. 20% more than the SE pathway, the oil obtained by SFE, proved to be more economically viable, with a cost of 365€/kgoil produced and simultaneously extracting high-value pigments. The bioH2 as co-product may be advantageous in terms of product yield or profit

Adsorption equilibrium of fructose, glucose and sucrose for cationic resins in the sodium and potassium form

Separation of glucose from mixtures of fructose and sucrose in molasses is a major challenge in industrial sugar chromatographic separations. The efficiency of a chromatographic process is largely dependent on the adsorbent used. Sulfonated poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) (PS-DVB) ion exchange resins are the most frequently used for sugars separation, generally in a cationic form. The cation will complex with the hydroxyl group of the sugar leading to a selective adsorption according to the orientation of the hydroxyl group. Thus, the conformation of the sugar determines its relative affinity for the resin and its distribution coefficient. Consequently, fructose forms the more stable sugar-cation complex being preferentially adsorbed in the resin followed by glucose. Sucrose interacts very weakly with the cation and is partially or totally excluded from the resin matrix owing to its larger molecular size. The separation process is usually carried out at high temperatures. However, this implies high energy costs and an elevated level of hydrolysis. Adsorption isotherms of the sugars present in a mixture are a very important parameter for the selection of the adsorbent to be used in the chromatographic separation. Therefore, in this study, the adsorption isotherms of glucose, fructose and sucrose were determined for two resins of PS-DVB in the sodium and potassium forms. Potassium and sodium are the most recommended cations for the separation of sucrose, fructose and glucose. The sodium and potassium resins matrix used in this work consist in meshes of 500-600 μm and 290-350 μm, respectively. Solutions with single and multi-component mixtures of the three sugars were used at 25ºC and 40ºC. A static method was used to determine the equilibrium adsorptions: 3.5 mL of solutions with different sugar concentrations were added to a known amount of adsorvent. The mixture was held for 8h under agitation and a fixed temperature and a final concentration in equilibrium with resin was determined by HPLC. As expected, the results achieved showed that for all the conditions, fructose is the most adsorved sugar followed by glucose and sucrose. For both resins, the increase of temperature conducted to a decrease on the adsorption constant for all the sugars in the mono-component mixtures. Nevertheless, the adsorption in multi-component mixtures was not significantly affected by the temperature in the sodium resin, and regarding the potassium resin only a small increase in the adsorption was observed. Multi-component mixtures at 25 ºC showed a decrease in the adsorption as compared with mono-component mixtures. However, at 40ºC the adsorption observed for the multi-component mixtures was higher than the observed for the mono-component ones. The sugars that demonstrated lower selectivity values were fructose/glucose since these sugars have the same molecular weight. Sucrose/fructose selectivity showed a higher value when compared with sucrose/glucose because of the complex formed between fructose and the resin. This profile was found for both resins used, regardless of temperature. Selectivity of both resins decreased with the increase of the temperature values. Nevertheless, the selectivity obtained for the potassium resin was higher as compared to the selectivity obtained for the sodium resin. In sum, potassium resin appears to be the most suitable adsorvent and an operational temperature of 25 ºC showed the best results

The effect of La in PdCe-zeolite catalysts for NOx-SCR with CH4

Communication presented at the International Symposium on Air & Water Pollution Abatement Catalysis - AWPAC 2014. Kraków, Poland, 1-5 September 2014Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. GDF Sue

In vitro digestibility and fermentability of fructo-oligosaccharides produced by Aspergillus ibericus

The bifidogenic potential of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) produced by a newly isolated strain Aspergillus ibericus was studied. Their activity was compared to FOS produced by Aureobasidium pullulans and to a non-microbial commercial FOS sample (Raftilose® P95). FOS fermentability by a number of probiotic bacteria and their hydrolytic resistance to the simulated harsh conditions of the digestive system was evaluated. Aspergillus ibericus FOS sample effectively promoted probiotic bacteria growth. Overall, microbial-derived FOS promoted greater cellular growth compared to the commercial sample. FOS fermentation was both substrate and strain specific. The FOS structural differences identified may explain their distinct assimilation by the probiotics. [Fru(26)Glc] (possibly blastose) and a reducing trisaccharide (possibly [Fru(26)Glc(12)Fru], neokestose) were only found in microbial-derived FOS samples, while Raftilose® P95 was richer in inulobiose/inulotriose. 1-Kestose and nystose were only slightly hydrolyzed in the presence of gastric and intestinal fluid. FOS synthesized by Aspergillus exhibited great potential as food ingredients with likely prebiotic features.Clarisse Nobre, Sérgio Sousa, Elisabete Coelho and Ana Pinheiro acknowledge the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for their Post-Doc and Doc Grants (SFRH/BPD/87498/2012, SFRH/BD/105304/2014, SFRH/BPD/70589/2010, and SFRH/BPD/101181/2014, respectively). This study was supported by the FCT under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 – Programa Operacional Regional do Norte, also QOPNA research Unit (FCT UID/QUI/00062/2013) through national funds and where applicable co-financed by the FEDER, within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement, project Essence (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-010887) for financial support of Post-Doc grant of Elisabete Coelho and, multi‐purpose strategies for broadband agro‐forest and fisheries by‐products valorisation: a step forward for a truly integrated biorefinery SAICTPAC/0040/2015 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016403), Biomass and Bioenergy Research Infrastructure (01/SAICT/2016), also CBQF research centre by National Funds from FCT through project UID/Multi/50016/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development and application of a mechanistic nutrient-based model for precision fish farming

This manuscript describes and evaluates the FEEDNETICS model, a detailed mechanistic nutrient-based model that has been developed to be used as a data interpretation and decisionsupport tool by fish farmers, aquafeed producers, aquaculture consultants and researchers. The modelling framework comprises two main components: (i) fish model, that simulates at the individual level the fish growth, composition, and nutrient utilization, following basic physical principles and prior information on the organization and control of biochemical/metabolic processes; and (ii) farm model, that upscales all information to the population level. The model was calibrated and validated for five commercially relevant farmed fish species, i.e., gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), using data sets covering a wide range of rearing and feeding conditions. The results of the validation of the model for fish growth are consistent between species, presenting a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) between 11.7 and 13.8%. Several uses cases are presented, illustrating how this tool can be used to complement experimental trial design and interpretation, and to evaluate nutritional and environmental effects at the farm level. FEEDNETICS provides a means of transforming data into useful information, thus contributing to more efficient fish farmingGrant agreement no. 818367; FEEDNETICS 4.0, funded by EUROSTARS-2 program; FEDER/ERDF, CRESC Algarve 2020 and NORTE 2020; PT-INNOVATION-0099; LA/P/0101/2020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio