Microplastics and plastic-related chemicals: Emerging contaminants in food and environment

Carvalho, Juliana Grigório Ramalho de

Publication

Microplastics and plastic-related chemicals: Emerging contaminants in food and environment

2024-09-16Master thesis

dc.contributor.advisor	Fernandes, Virgínia Cruz
dc.contributor.advisor	Agostinho, Luewton Lemos F.
dc.contributor.advisor	Ferraz, Ricardo
dc.contributor.author	Carvalho, Juliana Grigório Ramalho de
dc.date.accessioned	2025-02-18T15:57:29Z
dc.date.available	2025-02-18T15:57:29Z
dc.date.issued	2024-09-16
dc.date.submitted	2024-09-16
dc.description.abstract	Microplastics (MPs) represnet a global issue, at na environmental and human health level. MPs have been detected diferente types of foods and beverages, mainly in seafood and processed food. The removal of MPs from the environment is still a challenge due to its particle size and hydrophobic characteristics. Currently, ther is still no standard method for the extraction, detection, and removal of MPs. The methodology usually consists of sample digestion, which can be enzymatic, acidic, alkaline, or wet peroxidation; followed by separation – by density (flotation) or size (filtration); and finally, identification – by Pyrolysis-gas chromatography (Py-GC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Raman-spectroscopy, among others. Microemulsions (ME) are characterized as being a thermodynamically stable mixture, formed by an aqueous phase, na oil phase, a surfactant, and occasionally a cosurfactant. ME were reported to improve MPs separation from wastewater samples, but their efficiency in removing MPs from food samples has not yet been investigated. This work studied a diferente approach for microplastic extraction from wastewater and food through comparison with reported methodologies and new approaches regarding the use of ME in the digested food solution. The methodologies were applied to diferente types and sizes of MPs from industrial wastewater and canned tuna samples, using diferente approaches for digestion in wich sample, as KOH and H2O2, diferente extraction methods using saurated NaCI solution and green based ME, and different methods for MP analysis and quantification such as thermal analysis, DSC and TGA, along with particle size quantification using PSA and Raman spectroscopy analysis. Preliminary Raman results indicate interference from fa, especially in samples digested with KOH, decreasing MPs peak visibility. In addition, the contact angle between the NaCI saturated solution and ultrapure water with MPs were compared, MP pristine and after digestion (AD), showing a diferente behaviour of MPs wettability profile. The microemulsion increases the removal performance od MPs and the oil presented in the canned tuna. The future findings of this work may improve the green remediation of MPs from the environment, MPs detection and removal from food.	por
dc.identifier.tid	203853105
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/29579
dc.language.iso	eng
dc.relation	LA/P/0008/2020; UIDP/50006/2020; UIDB/50006/2020
dc.rights.uri	N/A
dc.subject	Microplastics
dc.subject	Organic pollutants
dc.subject	Bioaccumulation
dc.subject	Food safety control
dc.subject	Environmental protection
dc.title	Microplastics and plastic-related chemicals: Emerging contaminants in food and environment	por
dc.type	master thesis
dspace.entity.type	Publication