A carregar...
Projeto de investigação
Sem título
Financiador
Autores
Publicações
Transparent nature-based luminescent solar concentrator with NIR emission and integrated thermal sensing
Publication . Correia, Sandra F. H.; P. Falcão, Bruno; Figueiredo, Gonçalo; Vaz, Bárbara M. C.; Contieri, Letícia S.; Mesquita, Leonardo M. de Souza; Almeida, Juliana; Fradinho, Joana C.; Pinto, Diana C. G. A.; Fu, Lianshe; André, Paulo S.; Ventura, Sónia P. M.; Ferreira, Rute A. S.; Sencadas, Vitor; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit; DQ - Departamento de Química; LAQV@REQUIMTE; RSC - Royal Society of Chemistry
The engineering of luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) offers a way to turn windows into energy-generating units while maintaining transparency. Through UV/blue down-shifting materials to the red/near-infrared (NIR) spectral region, the performance of building integrated photovoltaics is maximized without compromising indoor light quality. The most efficient solutions are based on quantum dots, which raise environmental concerns. To address this, natural renewable materials, like bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) from phototrophic bacteria were used to fabricate an LSC prototype dispersed in a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) matrix. The LSCs emit in the red/NIR region with an emission quantum yield of ∼7%, demonstrating external photon efficiency and electrical device efficiency values of ∼1.0% and ∼0.04%, respectively. The thermal dependence of the BChl/SEBS emission is used to set two independent thermometric parameters based on the emission and the electrical power generated by the LSC edge-mounted photovoltaic cells with relative sensitivity values up to ∼2% °C−1, which is a remarkable performance. This prototype was scaled up for an active area of 0.1 m2, representing the first large-area LSC using nature-based red/NIR emission centers.
The Impact of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) on the Mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
Publication . Copeto, Sandra; Ganço, Sara; Ferreira, Inês João; Sanchez, Didier; Nunes, Maria João; Motta, Carla; Silva, Marco Diogo Richter Gomes da; Diniz, M.S.; DQ - Departamento de Química; LAQV@REQUIMTE; UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit; MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has been widely studied due to its environmental persistence and bioaccumulation potential, raising concerns about its effects on aquatic life. This research evaluates the impact of PFOA on the antioxidant defenses and stress response systems of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Mussels were exposed to three concentrations of PFOA (1, 10, and 100 µg·L−1) over 28 days. Several biomarkers, including glutathione S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), lipid peroxidation (LPO), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), vitellogenin (VTG), ubiquitin (UBI), and caspase-3 (CASP) were analyzed. The results suggest stress responses, particularly in animals exposed to higher concentrations, as shown by GST and SOD activities which increased according to PFOA concentrations. Additionally, oxidative stress markers such as MDA and CAT showed variable responses depending on the exposure concentration tested. This study underscores the need for further investigation into the effects of PFOA on mollusks but also the need to unveil gender-specific responses in aquatic organisms exposed to this contaminant. The concentrations of PFOA used in our research are lower than those examined in previous studies, providing crucial insights into the impacts of even minimal exposure levels. It highlights the potential of M. galloprovincialis as a bioindicator in environmental monitoring programs, providing crucial insights for environmental management and policymaking regarding regulating and monitoring PFOA in marine settings. Consequently, in a country where seafood consumption is the second largest in Europe, implementing environmental policies and regulatory measures to manage and monitor PFOA levels in marine environments is crucial.
Unidades organizacionais
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Contribuidores
Financiadores
Entidade financiadora
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Programa de financiamento
Financiamento do Plano Estratégico de Unidades de I&D - 2019
Número da atribuição
UID/QUI/50006/2019