Application of near infrared spectroscopy as a process analytical technology

Book of Abstracts of CEB Annual Meeting 2017info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effects of desloratadine on activated sludge: behaviour of EPS and sludge properties

"Available online 8 August 2022"Desloratadine (DESL), a second generation of antihistamines, is an important anti-allergic pharmaceutical used to treat allergic rhinitis, hay fever and urticaria. In this study, the overall performance, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production, and sludge properties were assessed in a sequencing batch reactor wastewater treatment process with activated sludge during 139 days, under the presence of DESL (1, 5, and 10mgL-1). DESL at 10mgL-1 impacted biomass activity decreasing the chemical oxygen demand removal (78%) and the ammonium removal (71%). The removal of DESL was of 63%. Tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS) was significantly higher (149.5mg gMLVSS-1) at the end of operation. Peaks attributed to protein-like fluorophores clearly predominated along the experimental phases using three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (3D-EEM) fluorescence. The peak locations and intensities in the EPS fluorescence revealed the difference in the chemical structures of the EPS caused by DESL exposure. Quantitative image analysis results clearly demonstrated the formation of large aggregates. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed a positive relationship between TB-EPS components, and large aggregates. Moreover, the results allowed to distinguish the different operational phases, emphasizing the effect of DESL on EPS and aggregates.The authors thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/ 04469/2020 unit, and by LABBELS – Associate Laboratory in Biotechnology, Bioengineering and Microelectromechanical Systems, LA/P/ 0029/2020. The authors also acknowledge the financial support to Antonio Melo through the grant number 240-20170220 provided by Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia de Pernambuco (IFPE). Daniela P. Mesquita and Cristina Quintelas thank FCT for funding through program DL 57/2016 – Norma transitoria.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Rapid method for the quantification and identification of emerging compounds in wastewater based in nir spectroscopy and chemometrics

The typical methods to quantify emerging compounds in wastewater are time and reagent consuming and new methods for its quantification are welcome. This work describes the development and validation of a Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy methodology for the quantification of emerging compounds in wastewaters. For this purpose, 180 samples obtained from an activated sludge wastewater treatment process were analyzed in the range of 200 cm-1 to 14000 cm-1, and further treated by chemometric techniques to develop and validate the quantification models. The obtained results were found adequate for the prediction of atrazine, paracetamol, and desloratadine with coefficients of determination (R2) from 0.93 to 0.98 and residual prediction deviation (RPD) values above three, for the overall (training and validation) data points. These results are very promising and confirm that this technology can be seen as an alternative for the quantification of emerging compounds in wastewater.The authors thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/044697/2019 unit 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.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fate and occurrence of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants

Microplastics (MP) are commonly present in our daily life. Reported studies on MP pollution revealed that wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) serve as pathways for MP to enter terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, causing adverse effects on the quality of water bodies, aquatic life, and even contamination of soil and groundwater. In WWTPs, variable MP removal efficiencies from liquid streams have been reported. However, many MP particles are still discharged into natural water bodies. Concomitantly, the retention of MP in sewage sludge is reported, and thus, understanding MP fate in WWTPs is of great significance towards MP management. This review discusses the most recent research focused on the abundance and removal of MP in WWTPs, the main methodologies applied to MP sampling, extraction, identification, and quantification in WWTPs, and the current knowledge on MP as transport vectors for other (micro)pollutants. The transfer of MP from wastewater to sludge raises environmental concerns, and efforts to optimize the value of sludge within a circular economy are essential. The potential of bioaugmentation strategies with plastic-degrading microorganisms to enhance MP removal emphasizes the importance of ongoing research, although it is still in its early stages. It is essential to improve and standardize methods for MP sampling, extraction, visual inspection, and chemical quantification in wastewater and sludge samples. The necessity for further investigation into MP interactions with other environmental (micro)pollutants and their potential impact on human health is also highlighted.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of the UIDB/04469/2020 unit, and by LABBELS – Associate Laboratory in Biotechnology, Bioengineering and Micro-electromechanical Systems, LA/P/0029/2020. Daniela P. Mesquita and Cristina Quintelas also acknowledge FCT for funding under the Scientic Employment Stimulus – Institutional Call (CEECINST/00018/2021) and under the DL57/2016 Transitory Norm Programme, respectivelyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bio strategies for the removal of contaminants of emerging concern from wastewater

Pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine disruptors and illicit drugs are the main constituents of the so-called contaminants of emerging concern (CEC). These compounds appear in increasing quantities in wastewater and are therefore a matter of great concern. In the last years several reports have been published relating different methods to remove the contaminants. The advantages of the biological methods over physicochemical methods are well known and include low-cost operational requirements, no generation of secondary pollutants, and are being considered as an environmentally friendly option. This chapter highlights the review of scientific literature published in the last years related to the biological methods applied to the CEC removal. The chapter includes a review of the main sources, occurrence, and a description of the different biological removal methods. The authors also present the challenges, recommendations, and future perspectives related with the bio-strategies used for the removal of these contaminants from wastewater.The authors thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/ BIO/04469/2020 unit. Cristina Quintelas and Daniela Mesquita thanks FCT for funding through program “DL 57/2016 – Norma transitória”.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Impact of industrial wastewater discharge on the environment and human health

The discharge of industrial wastewater into the environment is an issue of particular concern especially in developing countries. In some cases, these industrial wastewater effluents are untreated or inadequately treated before being discharged and represent a threat to the environment and human health. This chapter highlights the scientific literature published in the last decade on issues related to the discharge of polluted industrial wastewater, including a review of general environmental pollutants, both chemical and microbial, as well as the ecological implications of industrial wastewater discharge for the environment, in water, soil and air ecosystems. Finally, the health impacts of these pollutants is summarized. The authors are aware that regular monitoring and appropriate legislation is necessary to avoid or minimize this problem and, in this context, the challenges and future perspectives related to the discharge of industrial wastewaters are presented.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Quantitative image analysis as a valuable tool to assess aerobic wastewater treatment systems

Monitoring biological wastewater treatment (WWT) is a fundamental task for improving process performance and efficiency. Key physical, chemical, and operational parameters are monitored in WWT for assessing effluent and sludge quality. This strategy is of the utmost importance to reduce the release of contaminants discharge in the environment. However, most traditional methodologies for determining those parameters are costly, labor-intensive and time-consuming, and a few may even present environmental risks associated with end products. Therefore, simpler, faster, and cleaner alternatives allowing to monitor the process key variables to make educated decisions are of great interest. Quantitative image analysis (QIA) techniques have been widely used in the last few years for the assessment of aerobic (suspended and granular) aggregates and filamentous bacteria properties. This chapter highlights QIA procedures, imaging systems and applications in WWT monitoring, as well as the main chemometric techniques employed. The authors also present the future perspectives on QIA applicability as a valuable tool in this field.The authors thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/ BIO/04469/2020 unit. Daniela P. Mesquita and Cristina Quintelas thanks FCT for funding through program “DL 57/2016 – Norma transitória”.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cookie composition analysis by Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy coupled to chemometric analysis

The consumption ofcookies is ever growing and during the COVID-19 pandemic reached record consumption values and it is imperative to guarantee the quality and safety of the products.Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy, combined with chemometric techniques, provides a promising solution in that regard, due to its speed and simple sample preparation. The objective of this study was to investigate the possibilities of using FT-NIR to predict lipids, carbohydrates, fibers, proteins, salt and energy contents, as well as to identify cookies type and main cereals present in a batch of 120 commercially acquired samples. The prediction models were performed using ordinary least squares (OLS), partial least squares (PLS), and PLS based classification models including discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), k-nearest neighbors (PLS-kNN) and naïve Bayes (PLS-NB). The best prediction models allowed for good accuracies, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.9 for all studied nutritional parameters. PLS-kNN methodology was able to identify all 5 main cereals (wheat, integral wheat, oat, corn and rice) as well as the 14 types of cookies based on the nutritional contents. The developed methods were able to accurately identify the cookies type and composition, confirming the proposed methodology as a fast, reliable, environmentally friendly and non-destructive alternative to standard analytical methods.The authors thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT- Portugal) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/ BIO/04469/2020 unit, and by LABBELS – Associate Laboratory in Biotechnology, Bioengineering and Microelectromechanical Systems, LA/P/0029/2020. Cristina Quintelas thanks FCT- Portugal for funding through program “DL 57/2016 – Norma transitória”.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

FT-NIR spectroscopy analysis for monitoring the microbial production of 2-phenylethanol using crude glycerol as carbon source

The valorization of glycerol wastes through its conversion into high-added value products using biotechnological processes is very promising due to the high amount of glycerol generated from the bio-diesel industry. In this sense, it is important to develop rapid, reliable and, if possible, environmentally friendly analytical techniques for the monitoring of high-added value compounds. With this in mind, Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy was explored for the assessment of biomass, glycerol, l-phenylalanine and 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) parameters during the biotechnological production of 2-PE. A total of 80 samples were collected and analyzed through FT-NIR spectroscopy. Partial least squares (PLS) regression method was selected for establishing quantification models. The obtained figures of merit, in terms of, coefficients of determination of prediction (R2P), range error-ratios (RER) and residual predictive deviation (RPD) yielded values higher than 0.85, 7.7 and 2.6, respectively, for all the parameters assessed. The obtained results reveal that all the developed PLS models can be considered as models with a good predictive accuracy and therefore attest the suitability of FT-NIR spectroscopy for the quantification of these parameters. Concluding, a new rapid, reliable, cost-effective, accurate, multi-parametric and environmentally friendly analytical technique exploring the potential of FT-NIR spectroscopy was successfully developed.The authors thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic fundings of UIDB/ BIO/04469/2020 and UIDB/QUI/50006/2020 units. Ricardo N.M.J. Páscoa and Cristina Quintelas thanks FCT for funding through program DL 57/2016 – Norma transitória. The authors also want to express their gratitude to Prio Energy – Prio Biocombustíveis, SA for providing the glycerol used in this experimental work.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio