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Principal Researcher, Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Portugal

Main research aims? Development of novel methods, fit for purpose, and study of organic contaminants and microplastics, fate and behavior in the environment, and the use of fungi for the biodegradation of microplastics.

The moral responsibilities of analytical scientists… We all have the responsibility to contribute to the planet’s protection. As an analytical scientist, I contribute to the development of analytical methodologies for the determination of emerging compounds and microplastics allowing us to assess their fate and behavior in the environment, and finally contributing to the establishment of measures of environmental protection and remediation.

Missing from the analytical toolbox? Screening devices for fast laboratory and on-site determinations of emerging contaminants are lacking. Specifically for microplastics, there is a need for instrumentation for the quick and easy identification and quantification of polymeric particles. As the particle size decreases the difficulty rises exponentially.