Education for health: alcohol and young aged school teenagers

Introduction: Alcohol consumption starts at an early age in Portuguese people. Health problems and risk behavior associated with excessive consumption can be prevented or highly reduced through effective school programs. Health professionals, such as biomedical scientists, (BSc), are important in promoting healthy lifestyles through the transmission of knowledge. Objective: Explore the role of the BSc in promoting health via intervention and clarification actions, (ICA), with 9th grade students from Agrupamento de Escolas da Portela e Moscavide (AEPM) and Visconde Juromenha (AEVJ); Verify the relationship between participating in the ICA and the level of knowledge acquired from it. Methods: Behaviors and beliefs concerning alcohol consumption and knowledge about the repercussions of it in the human body, mainly regarding the liver, were assessed by questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed before and after the ICA, by the control group (CG) and the study group (SG), respectively. The answers concerning knowledge were given points, later converted to a score from 0 to 100%. Data was analyzed applying descriptive statistics and the t-student test using SPSS 20.0. Results: After statistical analysis, it was found an average score of 48.8% for SG and 46.2% for CG. The difference between groups was statistically significant only in AEPM where ICA included a practical methodology (microscopic and macroscopic observation of pork livers), contrary to AEVJ. Conclusions: BSc intervention through ICA’s improves teenagers’ knowledge. Theoretical knowledge associated with practical approaches improves the retention of information and the development of a conscious behavior about the consumption of alcohol.

Practical software improve design and performance of a randomly packed air stripping column for removing volatile organic compounds from water

STRIPPING is a software application developed for the automatic design of a randomly packing column where the transfer of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from water to air can be performed and to simulate it’s behaviour in a steady-state. This software completely purges any need of experimental work for the selection of diameter of the column, and allows a choice, a priori, of the most convenient hydraulic regime for this type of operation. It also allows the operator to choose the model used for the calculation of some parameters, namely between the Eckert/Robbins model and the Billet model for estimating the pressure drop of the gaseous phase, and between the Billet and Onda/Djebbar’s models for the mass transfer. Illustrations of the graphical interface offered are presented.

Waste recovery into activated carbon for water purification from heavy metals

Dissertação apresentada para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia Química Pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa,Faculdade de Ciências e Tecn

A multivariate analysis of socio-demographic factors, water contact patterns and Schistosoma mansoni infection in an endemic area in Brazil

Associations between socio-demographic factors, water contact patterns and Schistosoma mansoni infection were investigated in 506 individuals (87% of inhabitants over 1 year of age) in an endemic area in Brazil (Divino), aiming at determining priorities for public health measures to prevent the infection. Those who eliminated S. mansoni eggs (n = 198) were compared to those without eggs in the stools (n = 308). The following explanatory variables were considered: age, sex, color, previous treatment with schistosomicide, place of birth, quality of the houses, water supply for the household, distance from houses to stream, and frequency and reasons for water contact. Factors found to be independently associated with the infection were age (10-19 and > 20 yrs old), and water contact for agricultural activities, fishing, and swimming or bathing (Adjusted relative odds = 5.0, 2.4, 3.2, 2.1 and 2.0, respectively). This suggests the need for public health measures to prevent the infection, emphasizing water contact for leisure and agricultural activities in this endemic area.

Pliocene-quaternary upwelling in the SoutheasternAtlantic may reflect changes in water mass production

Proceedings of tile 1" R.C.A.N.S. Congress, Lisboa, October 1992

Optimization of HS-SPME analytical conditions using factorial design for trihalomethanes determination in swimming pool water samples

Trihalomethanes (THMs) are widely referred and studied as disinfection by-products (DBPs). The THMs that are most commonly detected are chloroform (TCM), bromodichloromethane (BDCM), chlorodibromomethane (CDBM), and bromoform (TBM). Several studies regarding the determination of THMs in swimming pool water and air samples have been published. This paper reviews the most recent work in this field, with a special focus on water and air sampling, sample preparation and analytical determination methods. An experimental study has been developed in order to optimize the headspace solid-phasemicroextraction (HS-SPME) conditions of TCM, BDCM, CDBM and TBM from water samples using a 23 factorial design. An extraction temperature of 45 °C, for 25min, and a desorption time of 5 min were found to be the best conditions. Analysis was performed by gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD). The method was successfully applied to a set of 27 swimming pool water samples collected in the Oporto area (Portugal). TCM was the only THM detected with levels between 4.5 and 406.5 μg L−1. Four of the samples exceeded the guideline value for total THMs in swimming pool water (100 μgL−1) indicated by the Portuguese Health Authority.

Catalytic activity of a benzoyl hydrazone based dimeric dicopper(II) complex in catechol and alcohol oxidation reactions

The benzoyl hydrazone based dimeric dicopper(II) complex [Cu2(R)(CH3O)(NO3)]2(CH3O)2 (R-Cu2+), recently reported by us, catalyzes the aerobic oxidation of catechols (catechol (S1), 3,5- itertiarybutylcatechol (S2) and 3-nitrocatechol (S3)) to the corresponding quinones (catecholase like activity), as shown by UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy in methanol/HEPES buffer (pH 8.2) medium at 25 C. The highest activity is observed for the substituted catechol (S2) with the electron donor tertiary butyl group, resulting in a turnover frequency (TOF) value of 1.13 103 h1. The complex R-Cu2+ also exhibits a good catalytic activity in the oxidation (without added solvent) of 1-phenylethanol to acetophenone by But OOH under low power (10 W) microwave (MW) irradiation. 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimization of River Water Quality Surveys by Multivariate Analysis of Physicochemical, Bacteriological and Ecotoxicological Data

This study aims to optimize the water quality monitoring of a polluted watercourse (Leça River, Portugal) through the principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA). These statistical methodologies were applied to physicochemical, bacteriological and ecotoxicological data (with the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri and the green alga Chlorella vulgaris) obtained with the analysis of water samples monthly collected at seven monitoring sites and during five campaigns (February, May, June, August, and September 2006). The results of some variables were assigned to water quality classes according to national guidelines. Chemical and bacteriological quality data led to classify Leça River water quality as “bad” or “very bad”. PCA and CA identified monitoring sites with similar pollution pattern, giving to site 1 (located in the upstream stretch of the river) a distinct feature from all other sampling sites downstream. Ecotoxicity results corroborated this classification thus revealing differences in space and time. The present study includes not only physical, chemical and bacteriological but also ecotoxicological parameters, which broadens new perspectives in river water characterization. Moreover, the application of PCA and CA is very useful to optimize water quality monitoring networks, defining the minimum number of sites and their location. Thus, these tools can support appropriate management decisions.

Preliminary study of synthesis gas production from water electrolysis, using the ELECTROFUEL (R) concept

This paper describes preliminary work on the generation of synthesis gas from water electrolysis using graphite electrodes without the separation of the generated gases. This is an innovative process, that has no similar work been done earlier. Preliminary tests allowed to establish correlations between the applied current to the electrolyser and flow rate and composition of the generated syngas, as well as a characterisation of generated carbon nanoparticles. The obtained syngas can further be used to produce synthetic liquid fuels, for example, methane, methanol or DME (dimethyl ether) in a catalytic reactor, in further stages of a present ongoing project, using the ELECTROFUEL® concept. The main competitive advantage of this project lies in the built-in of an innovative technology product, from RE (renewable energy) power in remote locations, for example, islands, villages in mountains as an alternative for energy storage for mobility constraints.

An uncertainty and sensitivity analysis applied to the prioritisation of pharmaceuticals as surface water contaminants from wastewater treatment plant direct emissions

In this study, the concentration probability distributions of 82 pharmaceutical compounds detected in the effluents of 179 European wastewater treatment plants were computed and inserted into a multimedia fate model. The comparative ecotoxicological impact of the direct emission of these compounds from wastewater treatment plants on freshwater ecosystems, based on a potentially affected fraction (PAF) of species approach, was assessed to rank compounds based on priority. As many pharmaceuticals are acids or bases, the multimedia fate model accounts for regressions to estimate pH-dependent fate parameters. An uncertainty analysis was performed by means of Monte Carlo analysis, which included the uncertainty of fate and ecotoxicity model input variables, as well as the spatial variability of landscape characteristics on the European continental scale. Several pharmaceutical compounds were identified as being of greatest concern, including 7 analgesics/anti-inflammatories, 3 β-blockers, 3 psychiatric drugs, and 1 each of 6 other therapeutic classes. The fate and impact modelling relied extensively on estimated data, given that most of these compounds have little or no experimental fate or ecotoxicity data available, as well as a limited reported occurrence in effluents. The contribution of estimated model input variables to the variance of freshwater ecotoxicity impact, as well as the lack of experimental abiotic degradation data for most compounds, helped in establishing priorities for further testing. Generally, the effluent concentration and the ecotoxicity effect factor were the model input variables with the most significant effect on the uncertainty of output results.

Rheo-NMR study of water-based cellulose liquid crystal system at high shear rates

Since long ago cellulosic lyotropic liquid crystals were thought as potential materials to produce fibers competitive with spidersilk or Kevlar, yet the processing of high modulus materials from cellulose-based precursors was hampered by their complex rheological behavior. In this work, by using the Rheo-NMR technique, which combines deuterium NMR with rheology, we investigate the high shear rate regimes that may be of interest to the industrial processing of these materials. Whereas the low shear rate regimes were already investigated by this technique in different works [1-4], the high shear rates range is still lacking a detailed study. This work focuses on the orientational order in the system both under shear and subsequent relaxation process arising after shear cessation through the analysis of deuterium spectra from the deuterated solvent water. At the analyzed shear rates the cholesteric order is suppressed and a flow-aligned nematic is observed which for the higher shear rates develops after certain time periodic perturbations that transiently annihilate the order in the system. During relaxation the flow aligned nematic starts losing order due to the onset of the cholesteric helices leading to a period of very low order where cholesteric helices with different orientations are forming from the aligned nematic, followed in the final stage by an increase in order at long relaxation times corresponding to the development of aligned cholesteric domains. This study sheds light on the complex rheological behavior of chiral nematic cellulose-based systems and opens ways to improve its processing. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrorheological characterization of dispersions in silicone oil of encapsulated liquid crystal 4-n-penthyl-4 '-cyanobiphenyl in polyvinyl alcohol and in silica

The electrorheological (ER) effect is known as the change in the apparent viscosity upon the application of an external electric field perpendicular to the flow direction. In this work we present the electrorheological behaviour of suspensions in silicone oil of two different dispersed phases: foams of liquid crystal 4-n-penthyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) encapsulated in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and nano/microspheres of 5CB encapsulated in silica. We will present the viscosity curves under the application of an electric field ranging between 0 and 3 kV mm(-1). The ER effect was observed for the suspensions of 5CB/PVA but not in the case of 5CB/silica. For the case of the suspensions of 5CB/PVA, the effect of the viscosity of the continuum phase and the concentration of the dispersed phase was analysed, showing that the enhancement of the viscosity of the suspension increases with the concentration, as expected, however the continuum phase viscosity has no significant effect, at least in the investigated viscosity range.

Syngas production by water electrolysis: preliminary tests on methane production

Master Thesis to obtain the Master degree in Chemical Engineering - Branch Chemical Processes

Utilização de técnicas de análise fotogramétricas em quebra-mares de taludes

Dissertação de Natureza Científica elaborada no Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC) para obtenção do grau de mestre em Engenharia Civil na Área de Especialização de Hidráulica no âmbito do protocolo de cooperação entre o ISEL e o LNEC

Optimization studies through simulation of a methanol/water/glycerol distillation column

This paper presents an optimization study of a distillation column for methanol and aqueous glycerol separation in a biodiesel production plant. Considering the available physical data of the column configuration, a steady state model was built for the column using Aspen-HYSYS as process simulator. Several sensitivity analysis were performed in order to better understand the relation between the variables of the distillation process. With the information obtained by the simulator, it is possible to define the best range for some operational variables that maintain composition of the desired product under specifications and choose operational conditions to minimize energy consumptions.