The team research interests are focused in the environmental chemistry of coastal and estuarine environments, monitoring different contaminants, namely metals, hydrocarbons and emerging pollutants (e.g., pharmaceuticals, endocrine disrupting compounds and microplastics) in different environmental matrixes (water, sediment and biota) and studying the different biogeochemical processes of contaminants in water and soil compartments. The team also has a strong focus on the research of the potential of natural and constructed wetlands for the remediation of media contaminated with different pollutants and well as in exploring phytoremediation processes for environmental cleaning/recovery through nature-based solutions. By monitoring the reduction of the chemical contaminants levels due to the application of these tools and investigating contaminants processes leading to that removal, the research team generates essential knowledge to promote the use of these biotechnological tools for the removal of persistent and emergent pollutants. By collaborating also with teams of different expertises, such as those in microbial, ecological and toxicological fields, one of the team’s research interests is also to contribute for an holistic and interdisciplinary view of coastal and estuarine environments where physical, chemical and biological processes occur simultaneous and interconnected. The team also participates actively in science dissemination activities, regularly giving talks to the general public and school students in the frame of CIIMAR outreach programs and projects, regarding both ocean and water literacy.

Environmental Chemistry and Recovery

Principal Investigator:
Marisa Almeida
TEAM
Publications Highlights
Santiago, P. F., Dias, S., Silva, C., Gomes, C. R., Almeida, C. M. R. (2022). Pharmaceuticals influence on Phragmites australis phytoremediation potential in Cu contaminated estuarine media. Pollutants, 2, 42–52.
Montenegro, I P. F. M., Mucha, A. P., Tomasino, M. P., Gomes, C. R., Almeida, C. R. M. (2021). Alkylphenols and chlorophenols remediation in vertical flow constructed wetlands: removal efficiency and microbial community response. Water, 13, 715.
Stoichev, T., Marques, A., Almeida, C. R. M. (2021). Modeling the relationship between emerging and persistent organic contaminants in water, sediment and oysters from a temperate lagoon. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 164, 111994.
Dias, S., Mucha, A. P., Crespo, R. D., Rodrigues, P., Almeida, C. R. M. (2020). Livestock wastewater treatment in constructed wetlands for agriculture reuse. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17, 8592.
Almeida, C. R. M., Manjate, E., Ramos, S. (2020). Adsorption of Cd and Cu to different types of microplastics in estuarine salt marsh medium. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 151, 110797.
Projects
- INNOVMAR: Innovation and Sustainability in the Management and Exploitation of Marine Resources
- MarinEye: A prototype for multitrophic oceanic monitoring
- Ocean Action: Mar de Plástico
- OCEANLAB: Oceanlab - Protegendo os Oceanos: vem ao laboratório fazer connosco!
- CIIMAR at school
- SpilLess: First line response to oil spills based on native microorganisms cooperation
- MALIA: Marine litter awareness through learning by doing together
- NANOSED: Adsorption of metallic nanoparticles to estuarine sediments: what implication for denitrification?
- BIOREM: Bioremediation of hydrocarbon pollutants by autochthonous microorganisms in aquatic environment
- FERROCLEAN: Ferrofluidic Extensional Rheological Response for Ocean CLEANup
- ROSM: Robotic Oil Spill Mitigation
- NetTag: Tagging fishing gears and enhancing on board best-practices to promote waste free fisheries
- TOXICROP: Cyanotoxins in Irrigation Waters: Surveillance, Risk Assessment, and Innovative Remediation proposals
- ALGAVALOR: MicroALGAE: integrated production and valuation of biomass and its various applications
- ATLANTIDA: Platform for the monitoring of the North Atlantic ocean and tools for the sustainable exploitation of the marine resources
- RESPONSE: Toward a risk-based assessment of microplastic pollution in marine ecosystems
- OceanClass: Do Oceano para a sala de aula
- Ocean3R: Reduce pressures, restore and regenerate the NW-Portuguese ocean and waters
- NATURE: Nature-based solutions to reduce antibiotics, pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in aquatic ecosystems
- BIOSYSMO: Bioremediation systems exploiting synergies for improved removal of mixed pollutants
- MAR2PROTECT: Preventing groundwater contamination related to global and climate change through a holistic approach on managed aquifer recharge
- NETTAGPlus: Preventing, avoiding and mitigating environmental impacts of fishing gears and associated marine litter