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Funding Information: The manuscript was written mainly by D.G. with the contributions of all authors. The conceptualization of the work was made by D.G. and L.P. The majority of the experimental work, fabrication, and characterization of the nanopaper was conducted by D.G. with support from P.G. and J.T.C. on the functionalization and electrochemical characterization. The electrical characterization and endurance tests were supported by J.M.. R.S., E.F., R.M., and L.P. were involved in the writing─review and editing of the manuscript. The funding acquisition was ensured by D.G., L.P., E.F., and R.M. This work was supported by LISBOA-05-3559-FSE-000007 and CENTRO-04-3559-FSE-000094 operations, cofunded by the Lisboa2020, Centro 2020 Programme, Portugal 2020, European Union, through the European Social Fund as well as by Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT) and Agencia Nacional de Inovacao (ANI). This work was also supported by the FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 Program and the National Funds through the FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under Project No. POCI-01- 0145-FEDER-007688, Reference UIDB/50025/2020-2023.The authors would like to acknowledge the European Commission under Project NewFun (ERC-StG-2014). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society. The market for flexible, hybrid, and printed electronic systems, which can appear in everything from sensors and wearables to displays and lighting, is still uncertain. What is clear is that these systems are appearing every day, enabling devices and systems that can, in the near future, be crumpled up and tucked in our pockets. Within this context, cellulose-based modified nanopapers were developed to serve both as a physical support and a gate dielectric layer in field-effect transistors (FETs) that are fully recyclable. It was found that the impregnation of those nanopapers with sodium (Na+) ions allows for low operating voltage FETs (

Hardwood vessel elements generate problems in industrial uncoated wood-free printing paper operation, causing vessel picking and ink refusal. These problems are mitigated using mechanical refining at the cost of paper quality. Vessel enzymatic passivation, altering its adhesion to the fiber network and reducing its hydrophobicity is a way of improving paper quality. The object of this paper is to study how the enzymatic treatment by xylanase and by an enzymatic cocktail containing cellulases and laccases affect elemental chlorine free bleached Eucalyptus globulus vessel and fiber porosities, bulk, and surface chemical compositions. Thermoporosimetry revealed the vessel structure to be more porous, surface analysis showed its lower O/C ratio and bulk chemistry analysis its higher hemicellulose content. Enzymes had different effects on porosity, bulk and surface composition of fibers and vessels, affecting vessel adhesion and hydrophobicity. It is proposed that differences in vessel and fiber porosity structures affect the enzymatic attacks, eventually causing vessel passivation.

Pre-hydrolysis-kraft of Eucalyptus globulus by autohydrolysis (batch) and with dilute acid hydrolysis (flow-through reactor) were explored in this study, to examine the recovery of xylooligosaccharides (XOs) from the pre-hydrolysis treatment. The results of this work support the potential reuse of the hydrolysate to increase the recovery yield of added value compounds. The pH of the dilute acid hydrolysis was maintained at 3.5 with acetic acid, to mimic the conditions of the batch reactor medium (autohydrolysis). An increase of XOs recovered was evident when the pre-treatment was in the flow-through reactor instead of the batch reactor. In the latter, a high concentration of furfural was recovered, showing the influence of time in XO conversion through hydrolysis. The total yield of pulp was higher in the flow-through reactor (36.4%) in comparison with the batch system (34.5%) after kraft pulping, which was expected, given the increasing time that the hydrolysate was present in the reactor; however, the difference was small and could have been the result of precipitated compounds in the latter, so this needs further analysis. Keywords: cellulose, Eucalyptus globulus, pre-hydrolysis kraft, xylooligosaccharides

Technologies based on microalgae-bacteria seem to be sustainable options for wastewater treatment and reuse, with lower costs than conventional biological treatment technologies. Furthermore, they can generate added-value products produced from algae biomass. Among other advantages, the consortium bacteriaalgae produce photosynthetic oxygen through the microalgae, which can be used by aerobic bacteria for oxidizing organic matter and nitrogen, thus reducing the need for introducing artificial oxygen. In this review paper, the main systems that use microalgaebacteria consortium are discussed. Microalgae-bacteria present advantages in the removal of organics, nitrogen and phosphorus, when compared with conventional biological treatment systems (e.g., activated sludge, percolating filters and ponds), and are able to produce final effluents for reuse (e.g., in agricultural irrigation, industry or aquifer recharge) and excess of microalgae that can be converted to added-value products such as biogas and biofuels. Attention is given to the innovative aspects of applying photobioreators to the treatment and reuse of pulp and paper effluents and fiber-waste-based recycling wastewaters, which seems to open a new opportunity for the pulp, paper and recycling paper industries. Keywords: fiber-waste-based industry, microalgae-bacteria consortium, removal of nutrients, wastewater treatment

Hardwood species have a complex cellular structure consisting of fibres, vessel elements and parenchyma cells with different chemical compositions. However, the presence of vessels with significant dimensions in their structure is a recurrent problem in the operation of industrial UWF paper printing. Since the 1980s, vessel picking and ink refusal are problems that paper professionals have tried to solve, but solutions for these have not yet been fully found. If vessels are concentrated in a stream, they can be pre-treated (e.g., by mechanical refining) and reincorporated into the pulp. Other strategies aim at vessel enzymatic and/or chemical passivation and sheet surface chemical treatment, altering the vessel adhesion to the fibre network. This requires vessel concentration at laboratorial level for proper chemical studies, such as FE-SEM, μ-XPS, TOF-SIMS and μFTIR. The main objective of our experimental study was to examine bleached kraft pulp E. globulus vessel and fibre composition. For this we performed EDX and μ-FTIR analysis on both fibre and vessel elements, and obtained the carbohydrate composition, the total acids content, the hexenuronic acids content and the zeta potential. Keywords: E. globulus, vessel, EDX, μ-FTIR, sugar content, zeta potential

High consumption of clean water results in the generation of effluents that need to be treated and then safely discarded. Conventional methods for such treatment often do not offer an economical and sustainable result; therefore, new methods are needed, such as microalgae usage. Microalgae are unicellular beings capable of rapid adaptation, growth, and production of compounds of interest (pharmaceuticals, biofuels and others). This work aimed to study the effectiveness of the microalgae Selenastrum sp. in the treatment of effluents from the textile and pulp & paper industries, as well as the respective effects on its biomass development and accumulation of compounds. Four types of culture were carried out (for each type of effluent, a control, and a control with addition of glucose) lasting eight days, in duplicate, all with the addition of a standard culture medium and controlled abiotic factors. Analyses for compound removal (chemical oxygen demand and colour readings on the 200–800nm range) and biomass development (cell number, its dimensions, and weight) were performed four times during the process. At the end of the experiments, the average removal in effluents for COD and colour were 56.6% and 32.7% respectively, in addition to a biomass accumulation of 0.45 g/L. These results were comparable to those obtained for the control cultivation using glucose as a carbon source (70.0% COD removal and 0.51 g/L biomass accumulation). These results demonstrate the effectiveness of Selenastrum sp. in the treatment of industrial effluents, its resilience in stressful environments and the potential use of its accumulated compounds for biotechnological purposes. Keywords: microalgae, Selenastrum sp., industrial effluent, textile effluent, pulp effluent, effluent treatment

The potential of broom biomass to produce oligo- and monosaccharides was investigated using mild sulfite pretreatment conditions followed by enzymatic hydrolysis. Both treatments were analyzed via response surface methodology using an experimental central composite rotatable design 24 + star, which explored the following variables: sulfuric acid charge (0% to 3%), sodium sulfite charge (0% to 4%, maximum temperature (150 °C to 190 °C), and time at maximum temperature (0 min to 30 min). Oligo- and monosaccharides in the pretreatment hydrolysates were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. The amount of total extracted xylose, mannose, and galactose ranged from 3.5% to 15.8% of the initial biomass, while the model estimated optimal reaction conditions enabled the extraction of practically all hemicellulose in the raw material. However, the mildest pretreatment reaction conditions, with low temperature and low sulfuric acid charges, provided a hydrolysate where a major part of the extracted polysaccharides remained in oligomer form, enabling their separation by filtration. The cellulose-rich solid residue was submitted to enzymatic hydrolysis using a Novozymes® enzymatic cocktail. The enzymatic hydrolysis was successful, but some polysaccharides remained in the solid residue, mainly composed of lignin. An enzymatic yield of 60% was attained with no added sulfite in the pretreatment at 190 °C, despite the confirmed positive role of sulfur content in the solid residues.

Tissue paper conversion consists of the transformation of base tissue papers into finished tissue products to meet specific demands. When base tissue paper arrives at the converting line, it already holds different requirements that were met during its manufacture in the paper machine (e.g., grammage, bulk, tensile index, etc.). However, what happens during converting can still influence the performance and quality of the finished products. The current work addresses this topic and aims to evaluate the influence of converting conditions on the final softness. For that, two 5-ply finished tissue products were analyzed using different methodologies for their proper characterization in terms of softness and surface analysis. The analyzed products are composed by the same base tissue papers, but some changes were applied on their settings in the converting line. In particular, the base tissue papers arrangement and the embossing pressure affected the finished products, resulting in one of them being softer and more pleasant to touch, with a global handfeel (HF) value of 75.3 units, and the other revealed to be rougher and less pleasant, with a global handfeel (HF) value of 68.0 units.

The effects of ethanol or acetone addition (2.5% to 40% w/w) and high ionic strength (50 mM to 1000 mM NaCl) on the rheology of carboxymethylated (NFC-carb) and 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) oxidized (NFC-TEMPO) nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) suspensions were studied. Morphological characterization and centrifugation showed that NFC-TEMPO had a much finer overall morphology than NFC-carb. Rheological measurements were taken at 1.3 wt% using a stress-controlled rheometer equipped with cone and plate measurement tools with rough surfaces. The dynamic moduli were investigated through oscillatory stress sweeps. The results showed that as little as 2.5% (w/w) of either ethanol or acetone decreased the viscosity and the dynamic moduli, while 40% (w/w) increased the viscosity to values higher than those of the aqueous suspensions, doubled the storage modulus, and extended the gel-like behavior. Increasing the NaCl concentration from 50 mM to 100 mM drastically increased viscosity; moreover, the storage modulus in the elastic region linearly increased with increasing NaCl concentrations in the range of 100 mM to 1000 mM, suggesting the increased content of interparticle bonds with NaCl addition. The elastic domain was also extended from 10 Pa to 50 Pa and above 500 Pa with acetone addition (40%) and NaCl addition, respectively.

Four different pulp fibres, representing short and long cellulose fibres and chemically modified fibres, were tested as reinforcements for poly(lactic acid) composites. A simple papermaking method was used to form the composite sheets, which were further compression moulded. The effects of morphological, chemical, and mechanical characteristics of kraft pulp fibres and their contents on the PLA composite characteristics were investigated. The incorporation of kraft pulp fibres provided composites with 16–24% and 36–39% higher tensile strength and Young’s modulus values, respectively, than those of neat PLA. Unbleached pulp fibres, which had higher intrinsic strength than that of the corresponding bleached pulp, provided composites with higher tensile properties. In the tested range, the effect of the cellulose fibre length was not significant. Compared to those of neat PLA, barrier properties for water vapour and oxygen were slightly superior for composites incorporating up to 30% (wt) of kraft pulp.

Cosmetic products in which all the skincare compounds are biomolecules, biocompatible and biodegradable constitute a request of an educated consumer corresponding to a premium cosmetic segment. For this purpose, a cellulose-based delivery system was developed to retain biomolecules for dermic applications. The 3D matrix was built with microfibrillated cellulose, nanofibrillated cellulose and carboxymethylcellulose combined with a crosslinking agent, the alginate, to obtain a 3D matrix capable of retaining and releasing bioactive components of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris and tea tree essential oil. The porosity and pore dimensions and uniformity of this support matrix were optimized using 3D computational tools. The structures of the biopolymers were characterized using SEM, EDX, FTIR-ATR and DSC techniques. The essential oil and the microalgae components were successfully incorporated in a 3D stable matrix. The results indicate that the polymeric matrix retains and releases the essential oil biomolecules in a controlled way, when compared with tea tree essential oil, which is vaporized from 25 &deg, C to 38 &deg, C, without this 3D polymeric matrix. The microalgae and cellulose-based delivery system proved to be an interesting option for dermic and cosmetic applications because the exposure time of the therapeutic biomolecules was improved, and this factor consists of a competitive benefit for dermic systems.

The effect of different acid sulfite pretreatment conditions on released components in the hydrolysates and the pretreated solid residues&rsquo, response to enzymatic hydrolysis for Eucalyptus globulus chips was investigated. Sodium bisulfite (0&ndash, 15%), and sulfuric acid (0&ndash, 5%) were used to pretreat chips at 170 &deg, C and 190 &deg, C, for as long as 30 min. The hydrolysates were analyzed through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and spectrophotometry. Overall porosity and pores larger than 2.65 nm (size of a typical cellulase) on the solid residues were estimated using glucose and two dextrans with different hydrodynamic radii as probes. The external specific surface area was analyzed by dynamic light scattering. The solid residues underwent enzymatic hydrolysis with an enzymatic cocktail. Very high (84&ndash, 95%) carbohydrate conversion was achieved for either an extensively delignified biomass or a biomass with very high content of sulfonated residual lignin (23.4%), since internal porosity enables enzymes accessibility. At least 5% sodium bisulfite and 1% sulfuric acid was required to attain a carbohydrate release above 90% in the enzymatic hydrolysis. Results suggest that the presence of sulfonated lignin does not impair the enzymatic hydrolysis rate and extent. The increase of pretreatment temperature had a positive effect mainly on the initial rate of carbohydrates release in the enzymatic hydrolysis. The increase of the wood material dimensions from pins to conventional chips significantly decreased the hemicellulose removal in acid sulfite pretreatment but had a small effect on the enzymatic yield.

The compound of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and cellulose was made by the emulsion-solvent evaporation technique in order to obtain spheres which are then compression molded to produce a biocomposite film. The effect of the dispersant (poly(vinyl alcohol)&mdash, PVA)/PLA ratio on the spheres yield was studied. Moreover, to evaluate the effect of cellulose particle size and surface chemistry on the process yield, unbleached eucalypt kraft pulp and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), both unmodified and physically or chemically modified were used. PLA/cellulose spheres were characterized regarding its physical properties. It was found that the spheres yield is essentially determined by the PVA/PLA ratio and the percentage of cellulose incorporation is greatly affected by the surface chemistry of cellulose. Regarding the films, DSC runs showed a significant effect of the cellulose type incorporated into PLA matrix on the cold crystallization temperature and on the degree of crystallinity of the biocomposite films. The measurement of tensile properties of the biocomposite films revealed that the strength, elongation at break and toughness (tensile energy absorption at break) of the films incorporating unmodified and chemically modified MCC were substantially improved.

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Apresenta-se resultados da investigação efetuada sobre o currículo dos cursos de Educação e Formação de Adultos, Nível Secundário (EFA NS), encarando-o e/ou questionando-o enquanto construção de alternativa curricular diferenciada, para adultos. A investigação teve como objetivos: a) Analisar criticamente o panorama nacional e internacional ao nível das políticas de EFA; b) Caracterizar as perspetivas de professores face aos conteúdos dos cursos EFA NS, e as suas práticas de gestão curricular dos mesmos; c) Descrever o perfil de formação inicial e contínua dos professores dos cursos EFA NS, bem como as perspetivas desses professores sobre as suas necessidades de formação, e d) Compreender as práticas docentes levadas a cabo pelos professores dos cursos EFA NS e a sua relação com os resultados dos formandos; contextualizando-se no Distrito de Lisboa. O currículo foi analisado enquanto práxis, colocando de parte qualquer definição que o encarasse "estaticamente". A proposta metodológica do estudo consubstanciou-se na utilização do binómio: metodologia quantitativa (inquérito por questionário) e qualitativa (inquérito por questionário/entrevista semiestruturada) a docentes, coordenadores de cursos EFA e diretores de escolas do Distrito de Lisboa. Apresentam-se nesta comunicação resultados preliminares da aplicação dos inquéritos por questionário a professores, que indicam que o currículo em ação, praticado pelos docentes dos cursos EFA, se encontra num “dilema”, entre um design curricular formal/normativo e a reconstrução de um currículo em ação. Os atores consideram que os cursos EFA não são socialmente reconhecidos, apresentando-se ainda como pouco credíveis face à sociedade em geral, embora se creia que representam uma certa forma de “justiça social”. Quanto à formação inicial, os professores consideram não ter desenvolvido as competências necessárias para lecionar adultos/cursos EFA, apresentando necessidades de formação contínua. O currículo, este, é operacionalizado em primeira mão pelo docente adequando-o às especificidades da turma e aos saberes dos alunos, e só depois obedecendo ao currículo normativo imposto. Em suma, concluímos que, embora os cursos EFA sejam vistos como uma boa alternativa curricular, terão de se "transfigurar" para fazer efetivamente jus aos seus objetivos enquanto currículo inclusivo. Para tal, é certo: terá de ser dado mais protagonismo ao professor no seu (re)desenho curricular futuro. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

This work investigates the effect of hot calendering on bacterial cellulose (BC) films properties, aiming the achievement of good transparency and barrier property. A comparison was made using vegetal cellulose (VC) films on a similar basis weight of around 40 g.m-2. The optical-structural, mechanical and barrier property of BC films were studied and compared with those of highly beaten VC films. The Youngs moduli and tensile index of the BC films are much higher than those obtained for VC (14.5 16.2 GPa vs 10.8 8.7 GPa and 146.7 64.8 N.m.g-1 vs 82.8 40.5 N.m.g-1), respectively. Calendering increased significantly the transparency of BC films from 53.0 % to 73.0 %. The effect of BC ozonation was also studied. Oxidation with ozone somewhat enhanced the brightness and transparency of the BC films, but at the expenses of slightly lower mechanical properties. BC films exhibited a low water vapor transfer rate, when compared to VC films and this property decreased by around 70 % following calendering, for all films tested. These results show that calendering could be used as a process to obtain films suitable for food packaging applications, where transparency, good mechanical performance and barrier properties are important. The BC films obtained herein are valuable products that could be a good alternative to the highly used plastics in this industry., The authors thank FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) and FEDER (Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional) for the financial support of the project FCT PTDC/AGR-FOR/3090/2012— FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027948 and the awarding of a research grant for Vera Costa.

A partir das noções de desenvolvimento local e desenvolvimento sustentável, buscou-se analisar neste artigo, utilizando-se do método de Estudo Comparado, duas iniciativas de desenvolvimento local sustentável que tem como ponto central a participação cidadã e o envolvimento da comunidade, e atuação conjunta com a administração pública por meio da coordenação eficiente de governos locais para o desenvolvimento dos objetivos traçados. Revelou-se no estudo da iniciativas DLBC – Desenvolvimento local de base comunitária aplicada no Brasil pelo Governo Federal em comunidades brasileiras pelo projeto de cooperação técnica INCRA/IICA, e iniciativa denominada LEADER – Liaison Entre Actions pour le Développement de l’Economie Rurale desenvolvida pela União Europeia, que uma estrutura de governança pautada na mobilização das energias da sociedade, nas suas capacidades e potencialidades bem como na atuação do Estado é pedra angular das mudanças sociais e econômicas pretendidas no processos de desenvolvimento local sustentável e fortalecimento das instituições locais com a conscientização dos envolvidos

The feasibility and treatment efficiency of horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (HSFCW) was assessed for the first time for cork boiling wastewater (CBW) through laboratory experiments. CBW is known for its high content of phenolic compounds, complex composition of biorecalcitrant and toxic nature. Two lab-scale units, one planted with Phragmites australis (CWP) and one unplanted (CWC), were used to evaluate the removals of COD, BOD, total phenolic compounds (TPh) and decolourization over a 2.5-years monitoring period under Mediterranean climatic conditions. Seven organic and hydraulic loading rates ranging from 2.6 to 11.5 g COD/m2/d and 5.7–9.1 L/m2/d were tested under average hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 5 ± 1 days required due to the CWB limited biodegradability (i.e., BOD5/COD of 0.19). Average removals of the CWP exceeded those of the CWC and reached 74.6%, 91.7% and 69.1% for COD, BOD5 and TPh, respectively, with respective mass removals rates up to 7.0, 1.7 and 0.5 (in g/m2/d). Decolourization was limited to 35%, since it mainly depends on physical processes rather than biodegradation. CBW concentration of nine phenolic compounds ranged from 1.2 to 38.4 mg/L (for the syringic and ellagic acids, respectively) in the raw CBW, with respective removals in the CWP unit ranging from 41.8 to 76.3%, higher than those in the control unit. Despite CBW high concentration of TPhs (average of 116.3 mg/L), the HSFCW reached organic load removals higher than those of conventional biological treatment methods.

Biogas production has been the main route used to exploit olive mill wastewater (OMW), after pretreatment and/or in combination with other effluents, but more recently the production of chemicals and biopolymers by biotechnological routes has deserved increasing attention by the scientific community. The present paper aims to explore the potential of fresh OMW as a source of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and biogas. The time profile of VFAs production and the corresponding sugar consumption was followed by high-performance liquid chromatography, in batch anaerobic assays. The experimental results have revealed the very high potential of the OMW for the production of VFAs, mainly due to the high sugar concentration in the effluent (37.8 g/L) and its complete conversion into VFAs, in a time period of 2-3 days. The most abundant VFAs were acetic (48-50%), n-butanoic (12-27%), iso-pentanoic (12-14%) and propanoic (5-13%). The ratio of VFA containing even and odd carbon chains increased with the reduction in the initial chemical oxygen demand concentration of the samples used in the experiments. The conversion of the VFAs to biogas was inhibited at concentrations of 3.5 g/L of VFAs.

Wood chips of Eucalyptus globulus and Pinus pinaster and Cytisus striatus branches were subjected to acid sulphite pretreatment with different charges of sodium bisulphite (5–15%) and sulphuric acid (0–5%). Sugars, organic acids, and furans released in the pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysates were analyzed by HPLC. The carbohydrates released in the pretreatment stage ranged between 2.5% and 18.7% (on wood weight) and are strongly species-dependent. The furans and formic acid represented less than 0.06% and 0.9% on wood weight, respectively, even under harsh reaction conditions. The enzymatic hydrolysis of the solid residues resulted in polysaccharide conversions in the range of 13% to 90%, depending on the pretreatment conditions and wood species. Eucalypt performs much better than the other species in both acid sulphite and enzymatic hydrolysis. The drying process before the enzymatic treatment has a markedly negative effect on the rate and extent of sugar release.

Overaged trees of Eucalyptus globulus were evaluated to determine their aptitude for pulping with industrial chips as reference. The overaged wood was separated into sapwood and heartwood. Compared with industrial chips, the overaged E. globulus heartwood and sapwood contained approximately 1.5 times more extractives (3.8 vs. 5.2 and 5.9 %), similar amounts of lignin (21.4 vs. 23.3 and 19.9 %) and the holocellulose ranged from 69.5 % (heartwood) to 74.5 % (industrial chips). Overaged heartwood and sapwood produced kraft pulps with 44.6 % yields (48.4 % from industrial chips). The unbeaten pulps from overaged heartwood and sapwood compared with industrial chips have wider cells (19.5–20.7 vs. 17.7 µm), and higher coarseness (0.066–0.097 vs. 0.060 mg m−1) and more primary fines (27.4–27.5 vs. 16.6 %). Overaged wood produced handsheets with lower bulk density and higher water retention value (2.25–2.93 vs. 1.12 g/g). The refining behavior was similar as well as the tensile and tear strength development. The results show that overaged E. globulus trees with large diameters may be introduced into the pulp feedstock without extensive impacts on the pulp characteristics.

Colóquio realizado em Cabo Verde, Praia, de 6-7 de julho de 2017 A presente investigação tem como objetivos: a) Analisar criticamente o panorama nacional e internacional ao nível das políticas de educação e formação de adultos; b) Caracterizar perspetivas de professores face aos conteúdos dos cursos EFA de nível secundário, e as suas práticas de gestão curricular dos mesmos; c) Descrever o perfil de formação inicial e contínua dos professores dos cursos EFA de nível secundário, bem como as perspetivas desses professores sobre as suas necessidades de formação, e D) Compreender as práticas docentes levadas a cabo pelos professores dos cursos EFA de nível secundário e a sua relação com os resultados dos formandos; contextualizando-se no Distrito de Lisboa. Propomo-nos apresentar o projeto de investigação em curso, com destaque para o design metodológico e o processo e resultado da elaboração e validação de instrumentos de recolha de dados, concretamente, entrevistas semiestruturadas a diversos atores, e inquérito por questionário a professores de curso The research we present aims to: a) Analyze critically the national and international panorama in the policies of adult education and training; b) Characterize teachers’ perspectives regarding the contents of secondary level Adult Education and Training (EFA) courses, and their curricular management practices; c) Describe the initial and continuing teacher training profile of the secondary level EFA courses’ teachers, as well as the teachers perspective on their training needs; and d) Understand the teaching practices carried out by the EFA courses teachers and their relation with the results of the trainees; in the context of the District of Lisbon (Portugal). We propose to present the ongoing research project, highlighting the methodological design and the process and result of the elaboration and validation of data collection instruments, namely: semistructured interviews with several actors and questionnaire survey to teachers of secondary level scholar EFA courses. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The variation of wood density and mechanical properties with site, tree and within tree (longitudinal and radial) were studied for blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon R. Br.) grown in four sites in Portugal. Twenty trees were randomly selected (40 cm dbh class, 33–51 years of age), sampled at three stem height levels (5%, 35% and 65% of tree height) and three radial positions (10%, 50% and 90% of radius). They were further tested for air-dry density at 12% moisture content, bending strength (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE) and compression strength parallel to grain (CS), using ISO standards. The overall mean properties of blackwood were: 654 kg m−3 density, 139 N mm−2 MOR, 141 × 102 N mm−2 MOE and 61 N mm−2 CS. Site was not a significant source of variation for all wood properties. The variation between individual trees was the most important. Within the tree, the radial variation was highly significant for all traits, while the longitudinal variation was only significant for density. The correlation of density with the mechanical properties was moderate. Blackwood showed potential for being an alternative species to supply the industry with valuable hardwood timber. The significant differences found between the trees demonstrate the possibility of selection and improvement for increased wood quality.

This work aims at studying the potential of Ailanthus altissima as a raw material for papermaking. For this purpose, trees of two age groups (2 and 25 years) were studied in terms of wood density and chemical composition. The latter was evaluated at different height levels in the tree. Selected wood samples were submitted to kraft cooking under different operating conditions, namely effective alkali charges, in order to evaluate their pulping potential. The best screened pulp yield was close to 49% (w/w) and was obtained from the 2 years old trees. Ailanthus pulps were subsequently beaten using a PFI mill at 500, 1500, and 3000 revolutions. An industrial bleached Eucalyptus globulus kraft pulp was used as reference. Both pulps and papers were fully characterized in terms of morphological and physical properties. The results showed that the properties of the paper obtained from ailanthus are close to those of the reference ones.

The treatment of slaughterhouse wastewater was investigated by both acid precipitations and by oxidation processes. Precipitation tests were developed using three acids (H2SO4, HCl and HNO3) at different operating pH (1–6). A decrease of the precipitation pH led to an increase of the conductivity values of the supernatant. Precipitation processes allowed the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) (41–97%), turbidity (56–99%) and total phosphorus (27–56%). Total phenols were removed (15–96%) from pH ≥ 2, depending on the precipitation process. Generally, precipitation processes decreased the hydroxide and bicarbonates species. Additionally, three different oxidation processes were tested at different concentrations (1–15 g L−1): Ca(ClO)₂, H2O2 and CaO₂. When Ca(ClO)₂ and CaO₂ were applied, an increase of the supernatant conductivity was achieved. COD removal ≥71% and turbidity elimination in the range of 85–100% were achieved by using oxidation processes. CaO₂ was very effective to remove total phosphorus (81–96%). The increase of the oxidant concentration in H2O2 and Ca(ClO)₂ oxidation processes led to a decrease in the removal of total phenols and bicarbonates species. Optical density of the microorganism cultures was efficiently eliminated (up to 100%) by oxidation processes. In addition, acid precipitation and oxidation allowed to remove total solids (TS), total volatile solids (TVS), total suspended solids (TSS), ammonia nitrogen, nitrates and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5). Acid precipitation and oxidation produced sludge rich in organic matter and nutrients (Ca, Mg, P, Cl, Na and K). Despite the high removal efficiencies, a post-treatment following the precipitation and oxidation processes can be required.

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Different dyes can exhibit markedly different reaction rates with ozone. These observations can raise the concern that in a mixture of dyes one of them can be over-oxidized while the other remains under-oxidized, i.e. exhibiting colour. In addition, the effect of pH on decolourisation also deserves additional investigation. The influence of pH on the oxidation rate of the monoazo dye Acid Orange 7 (AO7), one of the most difficult dyes to degrade, was studied in a homogeneous medium. The results have revealed an increase of nearly two orders of magnitude in the AO7 decolourisation rate when pH increased from 3 to 8.2. This effect was only slightly diminished when the radical scavenger was added. Competitive studies were performed between AO7 and the anthraquinone dye Acid Green 27 (AG27), which exhibits a much faster reaction rate. When the two dyes are mixed together, the AO7 decolourisation rate increases markedly, approaching the AG27 values, even under conditions that favour the undissociated species (pH = 2.7). This is a very positive practical result as the charged ozone can be consumed almost indistinctly by the two dyes.

Wood basic density is one of the most important wood quality properties and one of the simplest to assess but it is too time consuming to be really useful for the screening of populations or for improvement programmes where large numbers of samples need to be assessed. Although the usefulness of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to assess wood properties, including wood density, is well established only a few of the published models are suitable for screening. The NIR-based partial least squares regression models obtained in this study can be used for screening the basic density of the Portuguese blackwood [ Acacia melanoxylon (R. Br.)] population with standard errors of cross-validation of only 11 kg m−3 and values for the residual prediction deviation well above the 2.5 limit. It was also concluded that at least 45 samples for calibration and a further 16 samples for validation are necessary to obtain acceptable models for screening. Even using a very small number of spectra per disc, accurate estimates of wood basic density were obtained.

This article presents a computational model and some simulation results for fibrous materials such as paper. To obtain a better understanding of the influence of fibre properties on the paper structure a novel paper model was developed. This is a physically based model where paper is formed by the sequential deposition of individual fibres. The model intends to capture key papermaking fibre properties like morphology, flexibility, and collapse and process operations such as fibre deposition, network forming or densification. This model is a step forward in transverse paper modelling. In fact, it is a three dimensional model that includes the fibre microstructure, that is, lumen and fibre wall thickness, with a resolution up to 0.05 μm. To test the model validity and predictive capability, laboratory hand sheets were used to study the network formation of an office paper, mainly produced from Eucalyptus globulus bleached Kraft pulp. This paper was characterized via an experimental design that included factors such as raw material and beating degree. The resulting porous structure was characterized and the mechanical performance was assessed. The computational simulation was used to investigate the relative influence of fibre properties such as fibre flexibility, dimensions and collapsibility. The developed multiscale model gave realistic predictions and enabled us to link fibre microstructure and paper properties.

This study centred on the analysis of lignin in situ of cloned eucalypt and pine kraft pulps. Trametes versicolor laccase-violuric acid system (LMS) delignifications were performed on a softwood (Pinus pinaster) and a hardwood (Eucalyptus globulus) conventional kraft pulp with an initial kappa number of 34.5 and 15.5, respectively. The LMS treated pulps were then subjected to alkaline extraction stages (E). The kappa number data show that LMS is effective at biodelignifying both softwood and hardwood kraft pulps. However, under the conditions employed in this study, a greater level of biodelignification was obtained with LMS E. globulus (hardwood) than with LMS P. pinaster (softwood), but the amount of lignin removed was higher for the softwood pulp. The original milled wood samples, kraft pulps, biodelignified kraft pulps, and isolated residual lignin and milled wood lignins from the two wood samples have been characterized by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The analysis of the pyrograms indicates that the lignin compositions of the two wood species and corresponding pulps are very different, as expected; however, the knowledge of the chemical mechanisms of delignification is very limited and requires additional work. Analytical pyrolysis is one the few degradative methods for the analysis of biopolymers that has shown a sufficient degree of success.

Two Eucalyptus globulus and one Pinus pinaster kraft pulps were submitted to laccase-mediator system (LMS) to evaluate the effect of the treatment on biodelignification and subsequently on hexenuronic acid content (HexA). As expected, the hexenuronic acid content of unbleached E. globulus kraft pulps is substantially higher than the corresponding values for unbleached P. pinaster pulp. Besides, the two unbleached E. globulus pulps revealed different HexA content, having an important effect the raw material. The amount of HexA is quite high in the unbleached clone E. globulus (64.1 mmol/kg), while it is moderately high in the industrial E. globulus kraft pulps (52.1 mmol/kg). These values represent between 29.1 and 38.5% of kappa number of these pulps. For unbleached P. pinaster kraft pulps, the contribution of hexenuronic acid to the pulp kappa number was considerably lower. The three unbleached pulps were submitted to an optimized laccase-violuric acid treatment and the results have shown that the delignification extent for hardwood and softwood were different, but also different for the same species. For E. globulus , it was observed that 49.3% of kappa number has reduced for the clone eucalypt, while 42.2% of kappa number reduction was observed for the industrial eucalypt pulp, with the same laccase-mediator system conditions. On the other hand, laccase-mediator system removes 35.9% of the initial kappa number of the unbleached softwood pulp. From the standpoint of the low delignification extent, the amount of lignin removed was almost twice. The effect of laccase-mediator system is mostly on lignin and the hexenuronic acid decrease slightly in the pulps.

The potential of a laccase mediator system on the delignification of Eucalyptus globulus kraft pulp was investigated under diverse operating conditions. A series of enzymatic treatments were performed to determine how biodelignification is influenced by pulp consistency, oxygen pressure, reaction time, dose of laccase, and dose of mediator. The mediator used was violuric acid. The results revealed that the extent of biodelignification remains practically constant between 1% and 2.5% of pulp consistency then decreases. However, its effect is less pronounced than the mediator or laccase charge. In fact, an increase in the mediator charge from 1% to 4% leads to an increase in the extent of delignification (fixed laccase charge = 20 IU/g and reaction time 120 min) from 28.4% to 52.2%. On the other hand, at a mediator charge of 4%, the increase of laccase charge from 10 to 40 IU/g has a similar impact on delignification. As for oxygen pressure, the extent of delignification increases with oxygen pressure, from 38.9% to 48.6%, when air and pure oxygen at 4 bar gauge are used. From the standpoint of reaction time, delignification is characterized by a very fast phase followed by a much slower one, leading to a plateau.