CERNAS – CENTRO DE RECURSOS NATURAIS, AMBIENTE E SOCIEDADE
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- 1st International Workshop: Zero Pollution for a Healthier Planet and People: Book of AbstractsPublication . Cruz-Lopes, Luísa; Brás, Isabel; Silva, Maria; Rodrigues, Nuno; Lopes, SérgioThe scientifically proven systemic threats and risks associated with climate change, loss of biodiversity and increased pollution have led the European Commission to propose a European Ecological Pact (Green Deal). This Pact sets the framework for the European Union's growth policy to be adopted, with the aim of building a carbon neutral economy in 2050, more effective in the use of materials, with less pollution and regenerating biodiversity and environmental services. European policies are based on several legal documents that translate the objectives of preventing waste production, recovery of materials and final treatment of non-recoverable waste. They refer, for example, to the obligation to implement separate bio-waste collection networks or to separate and recycle in the source of the bio-waste, as well as a goal of reducing landfill: Member States should seek to ensure that, starting from 2030, no suitable waste for recycling or other recovery can be deposited in landfills. In this sequence, producers and operators of waste management ensure that waste is collected separately, to facilitate and promote its management in compliance with the principle of the hierarchy of waste. It is important that measures are implemented to achieve these objectives and that citizens are informed of the good practices that they must adopt in order to jointly promote a healthier environment. This partner event offers the presentation to the society of the strategies in Portugal to accomplish the Green Deal goals and the local measures to do the bio-wates management as well as share of good practices in waste management, in a perspective of circular economy. Several research and development works are being presented, in different areas, to promote a perspective of Zero Pollution. It is also proposed to do a citizen’s tour to the regional Solid Waste Integrated Management Centre. The final activity expects to engage citizens in out-door activities: Biodanza and Yoga, to promote healthier people.
- 2nd International Workshop: Zero Pollution – Make it RealPublication . Cruz-Lopes, Luísa; Brás, Isabel; Silva, Maria; Rodrigues, Nuno; Lopes, SérgioThe large share of energy consumed at the industrial level is derived from fossil, nuclear and renewable sources. Fossil fuels are identified as one of the main sources of carbon emissions and cause of climate change. Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels and industry have increased considerably since 2000, and in 2019 reached a record high of 36.7 billion metric tons of CO2. Environmental issues, especially climate change, have become hot topics around the world in recent years due to the magnitude and scope of their impacts. Carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases emitted by human activities, particularly related to energy consumption, have changed weather patterns around the world, causing extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes, drought, excessive rainfall and unusual temperatures. Many countries are trying to diversify the focus of primary energy sources, from fossil fuels to other sources, notably renewable energy. This situation has a particular interest in a global crisis arising from the war in Europe. The sources of energy must be diversified. EU Green Week is an annual event where the objective is to debate European environmental policy towards a resourceefficient and climate-neutral Europe by 2050. This year’s edition focuses on the European Green Deal and puts three important aspects into highlight the circular economy, zero pollution and biodiversity. In Viseu, the good practices role in the industry towards zero pollution, with particular focus in the efficient energy usage and resilient practices, was discussed.
- A 3-year field study to assess winter cover crops as nitrogen sources for an organic maize crop in Mediterranean PortugalPublication . Perdigão, Adelaide; Pereira, José L.S.; Moreira, Nuno; Trindade, Henrique; Coutinho, JoãoCurrent environmental concerns, the rising economic and environmental costs of mineral fertilizers and the need to respond to the limitations of N fertilization in organic farming motivate the search for alternative sources of N in maize cropping. Forage legumes used as winter cover crops may improve soil N fertility and offer benefits to the environment. The aim of this study was to examine the effects, in a factorial field experiment, of two sowing dates (SD) and nine different cover crop treatments (balansa clover, crimson clover, gland clover, arrowleaf clover, French serradella, yellow lupin, Italian ryegrass, a cover mixture and a weedy fallow) as a potential alternative N source in an organically managed maize crop. The experiment was conducted at Viseu (Portugal) for three years (2007/2008, 2008/2009 and 2011/12), in the same field. Results showed that maize grain yield was not influenced by cover crop species but was affected by SD and the higher dry matter (DM) aboveground biomass production was observed in early SD (6.1 t ha 1). The cover crops revealed their importance in maize N uptake: yellow lupin of earlier SD had the highest N uptake (83.6 kg N ha 1), but this was not significantly different from balansa clover (83.2 kg N ha 1). Ryegrass was the most efficient in depleting soil mineral N but values were just significantly lower than yellow lupin. Lupin was the least efficient, leaving more mineral N in the soil than the others cover crops, immediately before the period when the risk of leaching is high. It was concluded that, under the edaphoclimatic conditions tested, most of the tested cover crops were efficient in supplying N to maize, and balansa clover had the best performance.
- Abstract Book of International Web Conference on Food Choice & Eating MotivationPublication . Lima, Cristina; Cunha, Ana Margarida; Pereira, Andreia; Carvalho, Renato; Dulyanska, Yuliya; Guiné, Raquel
- Abstract Proceedings of The International Online Conference - Agriculture 4.0: Current reality, potentialities and policy proposalsPublication . Martinho, Vítor; Pato, Maria Lúcia; Cunha, Carlos Augusto da Silva
- Acheta Domesticus - Novel food ingredient: influence on cereal products quality and aclylamide contentPublication . Bartkiene, E.; Klupsaite, D.; Starkute, V.; Mockus, E.; Cernauskas, D.; Rocha, J. M.; Ozogul, F.; Guiné, RaquelIn some countries, the use of insects as food is traditional. However, in Europe, this alternative source of nutrients is still new, and consumers react differently to this offer. With the regulation of some raw materials prepared from insects in Europe, a need has arisen for their adaptation in the food industry. Today it is important to understand that consumers in Europe are not ready to choose insects as a main food source. However, the inclusion of raw materials prepared from insects into traditional food product formulas could be promising. Despite the fact that raw materials prepared from insects are considered to be of high biological value, when incorporating them into traditional food formulas, it is important to control not only the nutritional value and sensory properties of the final product, but also to anticipate what undesirable changes may occur during technological processes. One of such undesirable phenomena could be the assumption that enriching cereal products with raw materials high in protein might influence changes in the concentration of Maillard reaction products. We decided to start our research with an assessment of the acceptability of newly proposed raw materials – insects - by consumers. In the following stages, Acheta domesticus flour (unfermented and fermented with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum No. 122 and Lacticaseibacillus casei No. 210 strains) was used to enrich bread and biscuits, and their impact on product quality parameters and acrylamide concentration was assessed. Additionally, various parameters of unfermented and fermented Acheta domesticus flour were evaluated (pH, lactic acid bacteria count, color coordinates, fatty acid, volatile compound, and biogenic amine concentration). The tested product groups were prepared by adding to the main recipe different quantities of unfermented and fermented Acheta domesticus flour (into the main wheat bread formula - 10, 20, 30%; into the main biscuits formula (280 g of wheat flour, 100 g of margarine, 50 g of saccharose, 3 g of vanilla sugar, 50 g of eggs, 1.5 g of salt and 2.0 g of baking powder - 40, 80, and 100 g). An assessment of the acceptability of insects by consumers showed that 70.7% of the respondents had never eaten insects. A fermentation experiment demonstrated that in most cases, fermentation reduced the biogenic amine concentration in Acheta domesticus flour and influenced the volatile compound profile in both Acheta domesticus flour and cereal products (wheat bread and biscuits). Most of the wheat bread sample groups prepared with untreated and fermented Acheta domesticus flour showed higher acrylamide content compared to the control bread group, except for the group with 10% fermented Acheta domesticus flour. However, the opposite tendency was found for biscuit samples. The lowest acrylamide concentration (84.1 µg kg-1) was observed in biscuit samples containing 40 g of No. 210 fermented Acheta domesticus flour.Due to the decrease in acrylamide concentration in biscuits, fermented Acheta domesticus flour can be recommended for the manufacture of such products. For wheat bread preparation, 10% fermented Acheta domesticus flour is recommended, as most wheat bread sample groups prepared with untreated and fermented Acheta domesticus flour showed higher acrylamide content compared to the control bread sample groups.
- Adhesives from liquefied eucalypt bark and branchesPublication . Esteves, Bruno; Cruz-Lopes, Luisa; Fernandes, Ana Paula; Martins, Jorge Manuel; Domingos, Idalina; Ferreira, José; Silva, Silvia Helena Fuentes; Labidi, JalelAdhesives made from lignin are one of the most promising alternatives to common ureaformaldehyde adhesives. One of the possible sources is from wood or bark liquefaction at low temperatures and pressure. The possibility of using forest wastes for the production of adhesives was the objective of this work. Eucalypt bark and branches are wastes produced in the company Pedrosa & Irmãos, which is a forest management company based in Portugal (Leiria). The wastes were liquefied with polyalcohols catalyzed by sulfuric acid. The water insoluble fraction of the liquefied material was used for the production of the bio-adhesive. Both fractions were characterized and the bonding performance of the bio-adhesive was tested by ABES. The bio-adhesives obtained from bark or branches were similar, exhibiting a bonding strength approximately half of the conventional UF resin.
- Agri-Food Contexts in Mediterranean Regions: Contributions to Better Resources ManagementPublication . Martinho, VítorThe agri-food frameworks have specific characteristics (production units with small dimensions and in great number with implications in the respective markets) that call for adjusted approaches, even more so when they are considered in Mediterranean contexts (where global warming will have relevant impacts). In fact, the Mediterranean regions and countries have particular specificities (due to their climate conditions) that distinguish them from their neighbours. This is particularly true in Europe, for example, where the southern countries present socioeconomic dynamics (associated with the respective public debt) that are different from those identified in the northern regions. From this perspective, it seems pertinent to analyse the several dimensions of the agri-food systems in the Mediterranean area. To achieve these objectives, a search was carried out on 26 December 2020 on the scientific databases Web of Science Core Collection (WoS) and Scopus for the topics “agr*-food” and “Mediterranean”. These keywords were selected after a previous literature survey and to capture the agri-food contexts in Mediterranean regions. The keyword “agr*-food” was considered in this way to allow for a wider search (including “agri-food”, “agro-food”, etc.). Considering only articles (excluding proceeding papers, book chapters, and books, because in some cases it is difficult to access the entire content of the document), 100 and 117 documents were obtained from the WoS and Scopus, respectively. After removing the duplicated studies and taking into account the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) approach, 137 documents were surveyed through a literature review. As main insights, several dimensions embedded in the concept of agri-food were highlighted, from those related to heritage subjects to natural assets. On the other hand, the following subtopics were identified: agri-food dynamics and sustainability, agriculture and agri-food systems, agri-chains and food consumption, and food production and composition impact on agri-chains. Stressing the gaps in the scientific literature, related to the topics here addressed, there are possibilities to better explore the several dimensions and solutions offered by the new developments associated with smart agriculture and agriculture 4.0, specifically for the Mediterranean contexts and their challenges. Finally, to complement the PRISMA methodologies, an MB2MBA2 (Methodology Based on Benchmarking of Metadata, from scientific databases, and Bibliometric Assessment and Analysis) approach is suggested to carry out systematic literature reviews, based on bibliometric analysis.
- Agricultura Familiar : perceções e atitudes face ao uso de pesticidasPublication . Costa, T; Silva, L; Aguiar, A; Correia, H; Guiné, Raquel; Costa, CArepresentando um importante contributo para a produção de bens alimentares, preservação das espécies tradicionais e proteção da biodiversidade. Em Portugal, os agricultores familiares assumem grande relevância territorial, económica e social (93% das explorações registadas). De entre as práticas agrícolas utilizadas por estes agricultores com maior impacto, quer no ambiente, quer na saúde humana, encontra-se a luta química (uso de pesticidas). É bem sabido que, para além da sua eficácia em relação aos inimigos das culturas, o uso de pesticidas pode também provocar efeitos secundários adversos. Alguns destes incluem intoxicações humanas e de animais domésticos, bem como a preocupante mortalidade de abelhas e auxiliares e de outros componentes da fauna e da flora, e poluição dos solos e águas. Desse modo, com o intuito de avaliar a perceção do risco associado ao uso de pesticidas por parte dos agricultores familiares e a relação dessas perceções com as suas atitudes (práticas agrícolas), foi aplicado um questionário do tipo checklist a 163 agricultores familiares do norte e centro de Portugal. Verificou-se que os agricultores mais jovens e com maior grau de educação são mais sensíveis aos riscos associados ao uso de pesticidas e fazem um uso mais correto dos equipamentos de proteção individual. Ainda foi possível verificar a existência de três tipologias distintas de agricultores, com base numa análise de clusters, que permitiu conhecer e identificar quais as tipologias de agricultores familiares mais ou menos distantes de práticas agrícolas associadas à agricultura biológica.
- Agricultural Entrepreneurship in the European Union: Contributions for a Sustainable DevelopmentPublication . Martinho, VítorEntrepreneurship is sometimes seen as a glimmer of hope which may bring about some contribution towards improving economic dynamics and performance, specifically in the creation of employment by young people, in general, with further educational training, greater flexibility and who are better prepared for working with new technologies. However, entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector is, in certain circumstances, viewed as being something incompatible or, at least, difficult to implement. More scientific studies in these fields could provide interesting contributions on the road to highlighting new ideas inside the farming sector. In this framework, the objective of this study is to explore the entrepreneurship dimensions within the European Union agriculture towards a more sustainable sector. In fact, without an economic dimension in farm management, its sustainability in the medium and long run may be compromised, increasing the abandonment of farming, namely in more disadvantaged regions. For this, the literature which is available on the platform Web of Science relating to the following three topics was initially analysed: entrepreneurship, agriculture, and the European Union. This literature was clustered through the VOSviewer software, an interesting tool for performing bibliometric analysis. Secondly, statistical information related to European Union agricultural entrepreneurship considering empirical approaches was also explored. The analysis carried out shows that the realities across European Union countries are, in fact, different, where the instruments from the common agricultural policies, for example, may play a crucial role in promoting more farming entrepreneurship in a more sustainable way.