Susete Martins Dias 

(Assistant Professor)  

Status at Centre for Biological and Chemical Engineering:

·         Member of the Environmental and Ecoprocess Engineering Research Group

Education:

·         PhD. in Chemical Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon , Portugal  , 1992

·         MSc. in Biological Engineering, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa,  Portugal, 1984

·         Graduation in Chemical Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon , Portugal , 1980

Positions:

·         (1992-  ....) Assistant Professor in Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal

·         (1984 - 1992) Lecturer Assistant  in Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon , Portugal

·         (1981 - 1984) Assistant in Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon , Portugal

·         (1976 – 1981) Grant holder of Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal

Other Positions:

·       (2005 - ....) Management Committee – National Delegate of COST action 859 (Phytotechnologies to promote sustainable land management and food safety)

·    (1999 – 2005) Management Committee – National Delegate of COST action 837 (Plant biotechnology for the removal of organic pollutants and toxic metals from wastewaters)

·       (1998 – ....) National Delegate of Clean Products and Processes Project , Chalenges Committee for the Modern Society/NATO

·      (2006 - ) Work team member of Solid Waste Management Strategic Plan-PERSU II , Ministério do Ambiente, do Ordenamento do Território e do Desenvolvimento Regional

·         (1996 - ) International Water Association Member

Specialist group : Use of Macrophytes in Water Pollution Control

          Specialist group : Chemical Industries

Research Activities:

The main scientific activity area is ecological engineering. This core area of scientific research is linked with agro, biological or chemical engineering areas including the use of Constructed Wetlands in the treatment of domestic, agro and chemical industrial effluents, the phytoremediation of contaminated soils and the treatment of industrial effluents by sonolysis. Clean products and processes focusing in the water and wastewaters quality assessment via monitoring of macro benthonic community variation associated with uv-vis spectra analysis of waters. Clean products and processes development.

Thrust Research Areas:

Industrial wastewaters characterization, minimization, reutilization and treatment. Development of studies from lab to full scale for the implementation of industrial wastewater treatment by constructed wetlands (CW). Studies have been focused on the removal of nitroaromatic compounds, dyes, herbicides from industrial wastewaters by CWs with Phragmites sp.. Nitrification and denitrification of nitrogenous compounds have also been addressed at lab, pilot and full scale. Landfill leachates and agro industrial effluents like olive mill wastewaters are also target effluents and the respective contaminants have been studied in the last ten years. Pilot reed beds trials at the university campus allowed the design and establishment of operating conditions of four full scale systems for nitro aromatic compounds removal, denitrification of effluents with very high nitrates content and landfill leachates treatment with total areas of 10000, 3000, 450 and 1200 m² respectively. Solid Waste Management.

Pilot and full scale systems designed under my supervision are being monitored and used as models to identify the key role of vegetation in the degradation of xenobiotics, e.g., the active role of vegetation key enzymes in the degradation of organic pollutants. So far 4 genes sequencing of Phragmites sp enzymes were deposit by the team in gene bank. Further omics studies are being undertaken aiming to sharp the understanding of Phragmites and Graminae/Poacea role in phytoremediation processes. Phytoremediation of metal contaminated soils and acid mine drainages are under study. The development of new engineered matrix for constructed wetlands based on clay aggregates is a priority in the near future in order to enable a self optimisation of operating conditions within the constructed wetland system. Modelling of constructed wetlands taking into account system hydraulics, wheather conditions and microbe and vegetation removal kinetics. Clean processes for water and wastewaters quality assessment via monitoring of macro benthonic community variation associated with uv-vis spectra.

Patents

Euro Patente nº 99.104.546.9-1218
Lager – und transportfähige pflanzliche Rückstände aus der Ölgewinnung
S.Martins- Dias, J.M. Novais, H. Brüggemann
IST/Stokchausen GmbH & Co. KG

Euro Patent nº 99.670.007.6-2104
A process for treatment of liquid effluents by means of clean catalytic oxidation, using hydrogen peroxide and heterogeneous catalysis
S.Martins-Dias, J.M. Novais, M. Guedes da Silva
IST/Solvay Co., Portugal

Full scale Phytoremediation Projects and Implementation

1996 - Implementation of a constructed wetland plant for aromatic compounds removal from industrial wastewater,

        Anilina de Portugal, Beduído,   Portugal, 10000 m²

1998 - Constructed Wetland denitrification plant for industrial wastewater treatment - Quimigal, Beduído,  Portugal, 3000 m²

2000 - Constructed Wetland for Municipal Solid Waste Transfer Station  wastewater treatment , Valorlis, Alcanadas, Portugal

2002 - Constructed Wetland nitrification and denitrification plant for landfill leachate tertiary treatment- Valorlis, Leiria , Portugal

Research Projects Coordination:

(2007-2011) “Phytoremediation of soils contaminated by organic compounds” financed by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (PTDC /AMB/ 67641 /2006).

(2006-2008) "Phytoremediation of acid mine waters and soils rehabilitation " - POCI/AMB/59688/2004 IST/ICAT  

(2006) Sci. &Tech.Coop.  “Refuse Derived Fuel production from municipal solid waste and use in co-incineration or incineration plants in Portugal ” – Institute for Waste Affairs/ CEBQ-IST

(2005-2006) Sci. &Tech.Coop. “Follow-up of the adaptation of Portuguese Municipal Waste Incinerators to Waste Incineration Directive” Institute for Waste Affairs/CEBQ-IST

(2005-2008) "Environment, process and energy integration in the nitration and hydrogenation of aromatic compounds " – PRIME Quimigal/FCTUC/IST

(2005)-Sci. &Tech.Coop.  “Adaptation to Waste Incineration Directive and Integrated Pollution Prevention Control, IPPC of “Maxit” ex-Leca. Maxit/CEBQ-IST

(2004-2005) Sci. &Tech.Coop. “Analysis of the projects to select the Hazardous wastes management infrastructures , CIRVER” in Portugal, Institute for Waste Affairs/ CEBQ-IST

(2002)-Sci. &Tech.Coop. "Management development and implementation of cleaner products and processes towards to total site management strategy" IST/Quimigal 

(2002-2004) Sci. &Tech.Coop.  “Development of new environmental applications of expanded clay aggregates” IST/Leca Portugal

(1999-2000) Sci. &Tech.Coop. Strategic Analysis and Diagnose Report : “Milk whey added value by high quality protein production” IST/Helteca/Quinta dos Ingleses- Agro Indústria S.A.

(1998-2000) Sci. &Tech.Coop." Denitrification of industrial effluents by Constructed wetlands" IST/CEBQ –Quimigal (Innovation technology project, comprehending the redesign of a nitrobenzene chemical process towards cleaner production ; design, start-up and monitoring of a constructed wetland system to treat a very high nitrate content effluent of nitrobenzene plant). Co-financed by EU, “SIGA”, Life 98 ENV/P/00562

(1998-2004) Sci. &Tech.Coop.  "Landfill leachate treatment by Constructed Wetlands", IST /Valorlis 

Design, implementation and monitoring of a constructed wetland system to treat old landfill leachates and the wastewater from a solid waste transfer station at Alcanadas/Porto Mós, (in operation).

Design, implementation and monitoring of a constructed wetland system to treat landfill leachates from Valorlis landfill solid waste management facility at Marinha Grande (in operation).

(1997-1998) Sci. &Tech.Coop.“Design of a technological and financial masterplan for the adaptation of Portuguese olive mills to the new environmental legislation” Agriculture Ministry,GPPA,Farmers Confederation ,CAP, IST, Drena and SOLVAY.

(1996-2000) Technological Innovation Contract “Peroxidation of industrial effluents”, IST / Solvay Interox.(Development of an alternative and cleaner system to classical Fenton Reaction).

(1996-1996) Technological Innovation Contract “Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Aniline-Water-Nitrobenzene system”, IST /Anilina de Portugal,1st Jan to 28th Feb.

(1994-1996) Technological Innovation Contract “Industrial Wastewater Treatment in Constructed Wetlands”, IST/CEBQ – Anilina de Portugal(From pilot experimentation to full scale start-up of a constructed wetland of 10 000 m² for the treatment of an industrial effluent contaminated with nitroaromatic compounds). Co-financed by EC “RECICLAM”, Life 93/P/A13/P/1013.

Prizes and Awards:

1998 - Special Commendation on “Leca Construção 98” , Prize for the treatment of industrial effluents, (Leca Portugal , SA)

2001 - Life, SIGA 98 Prize, Um caso de Sucesso no quinquénio (Greenweek Brussels)  

Publications:

• Selected Papers in international scientific journals with referees:

L. C. Davies, G. J. M. Cabrita, R. A. Ferreira, C. C. Carias, J. M. Novais, S. Martins-Dias (2009), "Integrated study of the role of Phragmites australis in azo-dye treatment in a constructed wetland: from pilot to molecular scale", Ecological Engineering, 35(6), 961-970.

F. G. Freire, L. C. Davies, A. M. Vacas, J. M. Novais and S. Martins-Dias (2009) "Influence of operating conditions on the degradation kinetics of an azo-dye in a vertical flow constructed wetland using a simple mechanistic model", Ecological Engineering, 35(10), 1379-1386.

L. C. Davies, I. S. Pedro, R. A. Ferreira, F. G. Freire, J. M. Novais and S. Martins-Dias "Constructed wetland treatment system in textile industry and sustainable development", 2008, Water Science and Technology, 58(10), 2017-2023.

Cátia C. Carias, Júlio M. Novais, Susete Martins-Dias,  "Are Phragmites australis enzymes involved in the degradation of textile azo dye Acid Orange 7 in a Constructed Wetland ?", 2008, Bioresource Technology, 99 (2), 243-251.

C.C. Carias, J.M. Novais, S. Martins-Dias, "Phragmites australis peroxidases role in the degradation of an azo dye", 2007, Water Science and Technology, 56 (3), 263-269.  

L.C. Davies , A. Vacas, J.M. Novais, F.G. Freire, S. Martins-Dias, 2007, “Vertical flow constructed wetland for textile effluent treatment ”, Water Science and Technology, 55 (7), 127-134 

L.C. Davies , J.M. Novais, S. Martins-Dias, 2006, “ Aerobic degradation of acid orange 7 in a vertical- flow constructed wetland”, Water Research, 40, 2055-2063

L.C. Davies , C.C. Carias,  J.M. Novais,  S. Martins-Dias, 2005, “Phytoremediation of textile effluents containing azo dye by using Phragmites australis in a vertical flow intermittent feeding constructed wetland”, Ecological Engineering, 25(5), Pages 594-605

L.C. Davies,  J.M. Novais, S. Martins-Dias, “Influence of salts and phenolic compounds on olive mill wastewater detoxification using superabsorbent polymers”, 2004. Bioresource Technology 95(3), 259-268.

L.C. Davies , J.M. Novais, S. Martins-Dias, 2004, “ Detoxification of Olive Mill Wastewater using Super Absorbent Polymers”, Environmental Technology , 25(1), 89-100

L.C. Davies , J.M. Novais, S. Martins-Dias, 2004, “ Olive Mill wastewater characteristics: modelling and statistical analysis “ Grasas Y Aceites” , 55 (3), 233-241

L.C. Davies , J.M. Novais, S. Martins-Dias, 2003, “Modelling of Olive Mill Wastewater characteristics”, in “Water Pollution VII, Modelling, Measuring and Prediction ” (Water Pollution 2003), Edited by Brebia C.A. ,WIT press pp. 313-322.

R. Haberl,S. Grego, G. Langergraber, R. Kadlec, A. Cicalini, S. Martins-Dias, J. Novais, S. Aubert, A. Gerth, H. Thomas, A. Hebner, (2003) “Constructed Wetlands for the treatment of Organic Pollutants”, J Soils & Sediments 3(2) 109-124

I.P. Marques, A. Teixeira, L. Rodrigues, S. Martins Dias, J. M. Novais, 1998, “Anaerobic Treatment of Olive Mill Wastewater with Digested Piggery Effluent”, Water Environment Research, 70, 1056-1061

I.P. Marques, A. Teixeira, L. Rodrigues, S. Martins Dias, J.M. Novais, 1997, “Anaerobic Co-Treatment of Olive Mill and Piggery Effluents”, Environmental Technology, 18, 265-274