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- ICEER2019@Aveiro: Energy and environment - challenges towards circular economyPublication . Caetano, Nídia; Borrego, Carlos; Nunes, Maria Isabel; Felgueiras, CarlosThe 6th edition of the International Conference on Energy and Environment Research, ICEER 2019, took place in the end of July 2019, at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. With most of the participants coming from academia, and a few from the professional field, ICEER series is still growing and attracting increased interest. Energy production, distribution and use are fundamental for the Sustainable Development of nations, showing a clear link between the energy and environment issues. Nevertheless, these matters are frequently dealt with separately, reflecting the way they are taught, and causing strong negative impacts, and hindering progress. With a growing trend in circular economy models applied to common goods production and commercialization, ICEER 2019 had as focus theme the challenges posed by energy and environment research in a circular economy-based model. This paper presents the main achievements and conclusions of ICEER 2019 participants, through their research in the fields of energy and environment, including a brief analysis of the current requirements of Education on Sustainable Development applied to the modern technological curricula.
- Barbecue Grill Workers Occupational Exposure to Particulate-Bound Polycyclic Aromatic HydrocarbonsPublication . Oliveira, Marta; Capelas, Sílvia; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Pereira, Isabel; Morais, SimoneDuring a regular working day, grill workers are exposed to the emissions of charcoal-fired cooking activities, which include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are among the most health relevant compounds. Thus, in this work, the particulate matter at the breathing air zone of grill workers from a barbecue restaurant was sampled and the concentration of eighteen particulate-bound PAHs was determined by liquid chromatography with fluorescence and diode array detection. Median level of total PAHs (ΣPAHs) during 5 consecutive hours of exposure to barbecue fumes was 77.2 ng/m3 (maximum values of 261 ng/m3). Benzo(g,h,i)perylene, phenanthrene, and acenaphthylene were the most abundant compounds (82.7% of ΣPAHs). Levels of benzo(a)pyrene and total carcinogenic PAHs (naphthalene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(j)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, chrysene, and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene) varied between 0.03–0.79 ng/m3 and 2.10–36.7 ng/m3, respectively. Grill worker’s exposure to PAHs was well below the existent PAHs occupational threshold limit value of 200 µg/m3 proposed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists for an 8-h of exposure to coal tar pitch volatiles. Some preventive measures such as adequate maintenance of barbecue ventilation system, regular wash of workers exposed skin and the use of clean working clothes can contribute to reduce grill worker’s occupational exposure to PAHs.
- Biodiesel Production Systems: Operation, Process Control and TroubleshootingPublication . Caetano, Nídia; Ribeiro, Vera; Ribeiro, Leonardo; Baptista, Andresa; Monteiro, JoaquimBiodiesel is a renewable fuel, produced from waste cooking oils, animal fats, vegetable and algae oils. Its use is intended to replace diesel in conventional diesel engines, causing lower polluting emissions. To produce biodiesel, certain details must be carefully considered, namely feedstock composition, reaction parameters, process conditions, process equipment, purification processes, analysis of biodiesel properties, troubleshooting and storage. In what concerns feedstock composition, parameters such as acidity, insolubles, moisture, phospholipids, sulphur, polymerized triglycerides, impurities, etc., must be determined to decide about the pretreatment steps (washing, degumming, filtration, bleaching, deodorization, among others) to be implemented, and the need for esterification prior to transesterification. In what concerns the selection of process equipment some questions arise, namely the materials, heating methods and thermal insulation to use, alternatives to enhance the reaction, need for neutralization and process control system. The purification process includes biodiesel purification, methanol recovery and glycerine valorisation. The excess methanol must be recovered from biodiesel and glycerine by distillation and reused in the process while glycerine can be further purified and sold for application from the chemical to the pharmaceutical industry. The quality of biodiesel must be certified by the analyses performed according to the standards (e.g. EN 14214, ASTM D6751). Troubleshooting is needed in biodiesel production during start-up and under steady production of a facility; problems may arise regarding quality and appearance of biodiesel, reaction conditions, methanol removal, stirring in reactors, glycerine and biodiesel separation, as well as excess of water and other feedstock impurities. Biodiesel can be stored for up to 6 months; its storage poses challenges concerning degradation by contact with air and light, which cause oxidation. Some additives could extend the lifespan of biodiesel by increasing oxidation stability; other technique is the fractionation to remove the undesired fatty acid methyl ester (FAME).
- Strategies for Enhancing Soil Phytoremediation and Biomass ValorizationPublication . Marques, Ana P. G. C.; Caetano, Nídia; Castro, Paula M. L.The information available in the literature on options for biofuel production from biomass derived from the phytoremediation of metal-contaminated soils is scarce; however, the existing studies have reported a considerable degree of success. In addition to the described advantages for energy production, it is important to remember that the production of biomass in such as soil erosion control through the establishment of a plant cover in an otherwise barren soil, carbon dioxide sequestering by the established crops or environmental justice through compliance with the law by owners of polluted land. Therefore, it seems that this can be an important research pathway to follow. It is important to state that the HM soil remediation process does not end with the phytoremediation and subsequent harvesting of the implemented crops and sometimes not even at the end of the processing for biomass conversion into energy, as metals are non-degradable elements. However, some of these proposed alternatives offer a safe way to turn a potentially harmful residue into a useful resource.