Projets de recherche
3 résultats
Porteur: Célia Alves
Coporteurs: Teresa Nunes, Estela Vicente, Isabella Charres, Himanshi Rohra, Margarita Evtyugina, Mário Tomé
Disciplines:
Chimie physique et analytiqueSciences informatiques et informatiqueBiologie environnementale, écologie et évolutionMots clés:
SCHOOLSPARTICULATE MATTERSOURCESTOXICITYMITIGATIONRésumé:
Over 70% of a pupil’s school life is spent inside a classroom, and indoor air quality (IAQ) has a significant impact on students’ attendance, learning potential and health. Childhood exposure to air pollution, especially particulate matter, can result in cardiorespiratory diseases that persist into adulthood. STOP complements a previous OHM-E/2022 project, taking advantage of samples of inhalable particles (PM10) collected in 2022/22 in several rooms and outside the school closest to the Estarreja industrial complex. Cutting-edge analytical techniques will be used to obtain the detailed organic and inorganic composition of PM10. Additionally, samples will be subjected to an ecotoxicity screening bioassay, followed by determination of the oxidative potential (OP) by two complementary acellular assays. The application of the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model to the PM10 chemical composition dataset will enable to identify sources and to quantify their contributions to the particulate matter levels. The PMF will also be run with the OP values and ecotoxicity data as input data to assess which sources or compounds contribute most to oxidative stress and toxic effects on biota. A multizone IAQ and ventilation model will also be employed. After validation with the measurements, the model will be applied to estimate pollutant and exposure levels for a vast range of building operating options and weather scenarios, contributing to inform solutions to chronic indoor environmental problems. At the end of the project, a set of guidelines and good practices will be proposed for effective IAQ management and behavioural changes towards a healthy school environment.
Participants:
Célia Alves, Teresa Nunes, Margarita Evtyugina, Isabella Charres, Himanshi Rohra, Estela Vicente, Mário ToméPorteur: Cátia Venâncio
Coporteurs: Isabel Lopes, Carla Patinha, Solange Magalhães, Pedro Pato
Disciplines:
Sciences du système terrestreBiologie environnementale, écologie et évolutionBiotechnologie et ingénierie des biosystèmesMots clés:
Invasive speciesValorizationCircular economyRegenerative agricultureSustainabilityRésumé:
Estarreja is a unique ecosystem that harmonizes the subsistence of local communities with the environment. The Estarreja OHM Observatory has been working to understand the effects of pollution on water, soil, ecosystem services, and the health of local population. Several sources of diffuse pollution, namely agriculture and livestock, have contributed to the increase in concentrations of sulphates, chlorides, and phosphorus in the surrounding waters. These increases contribute to the worsening of other problems, such as infestation by invasive plants. Water hyacinth (WH) has caused several disturbances in the region, interfering with the circulation of water courses and native biodiversity, causing damage to infrastructure, and mobilizing an expensive collection of machinery and labour to control it. This proposal aims to evaluate the potential value of using WH as fertilizer for sustainable agricultural practices in the Estarreja region. WH biomass, whose potential has been tested as a source of phosphorus and nitrogen, could decrease local farmers' dependence on chemical fertilizers and improve plant growth while contributing to compliance with national and European regulations on water pollution, and invasive species control and mitigation. Furthermore, Estarreja fits perfectly as a lighthouse study for this work due to the extensive work carried out by the OHM Observatory in many areas (biology, geology, ecology, and agronomy), but also because the accessibility, involvement, and receptivity of local communities and municipalities to this type of initiative are excellent.
Participants:
Cátia Venâncio, Carla Patinha, Isabel Lopes, Solange Magalhães, Pedro PatoPorteur: Ana Catarina Sousa
Coporteurs: Sónia Namorado
Disciplines:
Physiologie de la santé, de la maladie et du vieillissementImmunité, infection et immunothérapieBiologie environnementale, écologie et évolutionMots clés:
Exposomesalivary biomarkersdietfood frequency questionnairesRésumé:
DEMETER est un projet visant à aborder et atténuer les impacts potentiels de l’exposition aux produits chimiques environnementaux sur la population d'Estarreja, avec un accent particulier sur les enfants et les femmes en âge de procréer. L'objectif global est de générer des données de haute qualité évaluant l'exposition spécifique de ces groupes vulnérables à des produits chimiques dangereux, notamment des métaux tels que le mercure, dans le but de faciliter le développement et la mise en place de mesures politiques ciblées. Le projet inclut l'investigation des habitudes alimentaires et l'exploration des biomarqueurs d'effet salivaires. DEMETER cherche à caractériser les habitudes alimentaires des enfants et des femmes en âge de procréer à Estarreja, mettant l'accent sur la contribution de l'alimentation à l'exposition aux contaminants environnementaux. Une enquête unique de ces groupes de sous-population appariés est prévue, ainsi qu'une étude d'intervention autonomisant les participants à faire des choix alimentaires plus sûrs et à réduire l'exposition aux contaminants ciblés. L'efficacité de l'intervention sera évaluée en quantifiant les niveaux de marqueurs métaboliques et immunologiques dans la salive. À noter, DEMETER adopte une approche non invasive, utilisant des matrices telles que l'urine, les cheveux et la salive pour faciliter le recrutement, notamment avec les enfants, assurant une compréhension globale des schémas d'exposition et des impacts potentiels sur la santé associés aux choix alimentaires dans ces populations vulnérables.