REQUIMTE

The scientific expertise and complementary knowledge available in REQUIMTE allow us to approach several different areas such as: chemistry, (micro)biology, toxicology, biochemistry and molecular biology, molecular modeling, (bio)catalysis and reaction mechanisms, (bio)conversion and bioremediation, transport phenomena, reaction design, separation processes, sensors development, monitoring and control.

Natural products: screening and synthesis

Screening of new compounds isolated from natural products and identification of molecules with potential biological activity.
Synthesis (Hemi synthesis) of new structures for the pharmaceutical industry employing routes that do not produce toxic residues.
Characterization of the biological activity (toxic or beneficial) of natural compounds isolated from plants extracts or from synthetic compounds (hemi synthesis) employing in vitro methods with cells isolated from animal or human models.

Food quality and safety

Food authenticity and food safety control, namely nutritional analysis, checking of labeling information and comparative study of food products of the same group available in the market. Different analytical methodologies are employed as well as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Development of methodologies to be used in various food matrices using finger-printing techniques and of standard recognition methods such as artificial neuronal nets.
Food safety - Several parameters are evaluated in different foods, with particular emphasis for the determination of heterocyclic amines, aromatic policyclichydrocarbons, biogenic amines, aflatoxins, L/D amino-acids, trans isomers of unsaturated fatty acids and additives (preservers and anti-oxidants).
Screening of drug residues and respective metabolites in foods from animal origin, especially anti-stress agents and antibiotics.
Quantification and speciation of toxic metals in food matrices.
Analysis of microorganisms in foods, potentially pathogenic for humans.

Clean technologies and production processes

Development of new separation processes for the recovery of reaction products and biomolecules in a cleaner and more economic way from the energetic point of view. In particular, in the study of processes with supercritical fluids, separation processes with membranes and adsorption processes using modified natural materials.
Development of new types of (bio)reactors integrating the (bio)reaction with the separation and purification of the resulting products.
Development of new process monitoring techniques, allowing its on-line implementation in a non-invasive way and with acquisition in real time.
Development of reliable systems for processes automation and control.

Environmental control and (bio)remediation

Analysis of complex chemical mixtures using advanced analytical techniques (AAS-EA, ICP-MS, GC-MS, HPLC-MS).
Amino-acid and DNA sequencing.
Development of automatic analysis methods, of laboratory control equipment prototypes, and of detection methods for analytical purposes (fast, clean and reliable)
Building of potentiometric (bio)sensors and voltametric transducers for chemical monitoring and clinical diagnosis.
Building of chemical sensors based on supramolecular (photo)chemistry.
Enzymatic and microbial turnover of raw materials and waste into added value compounds
Energy bioconversion (hydrogen and methane)
Synthesis and degradation of biopolymers
Soils (bio)remediation; liquid effluents and potable water, by using physical and biological systems.

Catalysts, solvents and non-toxic compounds

Synthesis and hemi synthesis of target molecules with industrial and theoretical interest.
Development of new synthetic methodologies based on the “green chemistry” concepts.
Reaction mechanisms including organic and organometalic chemistry using classic and non-classic reaction media.
Development of chiral catalysts.
Catalysis in non-conventional solvents including ionic liquids and supercritical fluids



		CONCEPÇÃO E IMPLENTAÇÃO: SIMBIOSE