REI achievements

GOURD-SHAPED GLASS VESSELS: A PORTUGUESE LEGACY?

Late medieval gourd-shaped glass vessels are frequently found in archaeological excavations in Portugal.This type of glass shaped objects is not common in European finds, raising the possibility of a local Portuguese production. Glass material analysis using PIXE and LA-ICP-MS techniques was performed in order to identify the raw materials used and production techniques employed and to provide composition data which then allowed comparison with coeval glass objects produced in known European centres. Although the glass composition of one of these gourds is compatible with that of a Venetian glass, most of the remaining glass fragments present an high alumina content. This high content had previously been reported for other coeval Portuguese glass finds and then proposed to be the result of two yet unknown Portuguese production centres. This reinforcs the possibility of a National production of the gourd-shaped glass vessels

CHALCOLITHIC AND EARLY IRON AGE JEWELLERY – 2000 YEARS OF GOLD TECHNOLOGY

In the Portuguese territory, the Chalcolithic (c. 3000-2000 BC) gold jewellery mostly comprises basic shapes such as sheets, foils and wires, being quite different from the complex typologies from the Early Iron Age (c. 850-400 BC), which include the assembly of individual components and different types of adornments. The research has been identifying the technological developments that allowed this typological evolution, such as the use of less expensive and more workable raw materials by alloying the gold with silver (up to 42%) and/or copper (up to 6%). Moreover, the use of a partial melting/solid state diffusion process and/or copper-rich solder alloys allowed the manufacture of intricate shapes by joining different components and filigree decorations of Early Iron Age gold jewellery.

ROMAN METALLURGY IN LUSITANIA: SOURCES AND METAL FLUXES FROM REPUBLICAN PERIOD TO THE ROMAN EMPIRE

The western end of the Roman World was occupied by the Lusitania province having important urban centres such as Conimbriga, Augusta Emerita and Mirobriga. The lead isotope and elemental characterisation of lead pipes with a Roman Empire chronology and Late Republican lead sling bullets assigned the lead sources to the Iberian Pyrite Belt (argentiferous jarosite ores) and Sierra Morena and Ossa Morena Zone (galena ores). The elemental study of anthropomorphic attachments of situlae identified a diversity of metals and alloys without standardised compositions, namely copper, leaded copper, leaded bronze, gunmetal and leaded brass. The research evidences that the Roman copper-based metallurgical production was strongly influenced by economic concerns, namely with an important use of recycling of scrap metal, a pattern that is also present in the lead technology from Roman urban centres especially during the Empire.

ISOTOPE HYDROLOGY: MULTI-ISOTOPIC APPROACH IN COASTAL AQUIFERS AND THERMOMINERAL WATER SYSTEMS IN N PORTUGAL

Discrimination between seawater intrusion (anthropic actions) and minerals dissolution (natural salinization) were the main goals of part of the investigations carried out during 2017. Studies on the impact of groundwater over exploitation in coastal areas were carried out in Algarve and at Lower Sado basin (Portugal) and in Morocco W Atlantic coast Essaouira basin. The major results obtained include: (i) evidences of mixing with ancient seawater trapped in the sediments during the Sado basin formation; (ii) evaporitic minerals dissolution at Tavira (Portugal), Essaouira (Morocco); and, active seawater mechanisms at Portimão/Faro. The study of thermomineral waters continued in the N part of Portugal, with the main objective of definition of conceptual circulation models in several aquifer systems, being the delimitation of the preferential recharge areas and evaluation of the mean residence time the main goals, to achieve a proper management and protection of this type of water resources.

STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE CORK WASTEWATERS POLLUTANTS

Cork wastewater is a recognized risk to the ecosystem if not properly treated before discharge. It contains phenolic acids that are recalcitrant compounds with high antioxidant activity. Their recovery could represent a potential way to valorise this wastewater. A comprehensive assessment of the toxicity and antioxidant activity of cork wastewater and the effects of gamma radiation, as an advanced oxidation treatment process, on these parameters was made aiming to access the feasibility of irradiation to reduce the environmental impact and/or increase its added value. It was observed that the radiolytic products of cork wastewater are more toxic than the parental ones and that the antioxidant potential increases. This could be relevant for a prospective application for valorisation of cork wastewater extractable phenolic compounds in other industries. Considering this, the removal of four phenolic compounds from cork wastewater was investigated using mesoporous carbons. The results suggested the use of activated carbon as an alternative technology to reduce the content of phenolic recalcitrant compounds in cork wastewaters.

ENHANCING THE SCOPE OF ICP-MS

Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a versatile technique capable of detecting and measuring concentrations of most elements of periodic table, making it suitable for a large number of analytical needs. Besides cultural heritage, which was the main focus of use of ICP-MS at C²TN, this technique has been optimised to cover more scientific areas and sample matrices. Microwave digestion was efficiently optimised for partial/total digestion of air particulate matter (APM). ICP-MS methodology was optimised for determination of major and trace elements in APM and for determination of rare earth elements in ionic liquids, soils, sediments, plants and waters from distinct environments. APM characterisation by ICP-MS allowed the application of source apportionment tools and trajectory statistical methods, which showed contribution of Sahara desert dust long range transport events to air quality in Lisbon district, and a non-crustal origin of Ni/V/Pb/Zn/Cr/Cd/Cu/As highlighting their anthropogenic sources (traffic, combustion and industrial emissions).

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