The following major achievements in 2017 are highlighted.
Availability
of natural radionuclides in a phosphogypsum (PG) stockpile (Barreiro) was
evaluated by analysing the transfer to rooted plants and mosses growing on the
PG. Mosses (Bryum sp.) content in 226Ra
and 210Pb (dry weight) reached higher concentrations in biomass than
in the PG. In Plantago sp.,
concentrations were less than one order of magnitude lower than in mosses. Only
1.6% of 226Ra in the PG matrix is bioavailable, meaning that it is
bounded strongly in a crystalline matrix and just a small amount is in an
ion-exchangeable form.
Following the EU Roadmap - by 2050, the EU
should cut greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 1990 levels. The ongoing
project Interreg Sudoe ClimACT coordinated by C2TN, promotes the
transition to a Low Carbon-Economy in schools. During 2017 environmental and
energy performance was assessed in 39 European schools, from primary until
university level. Complementary approaches such as energy efficiency, sustainable
transportation, green procurement, resources conservation and behavioural
change were designed to support schools managers, energy and environment
players and students in the identification of smart solutions for schools for
the greenhouse gas emission reduction.
ENVIREE project funded by ERA-MIN program (EU, FP7) is focused on a holistic perspective (from environmental systems, LCA, leaching techniques, separation technology to remediation) to recover REE with minimal environmental impact yet in an economically sustainable process. After the identification of the tailings with favourable conditions to contain metals (Covas and Cumieira, Northern Portugal) a more detailed chemical and mineralogical characterization of these heterogeneous materials was done during 2017. Training and dissemination headed by C2TN has been a main achievement of this project through the organization of Workshops and Summer Courses on Rare Earth Elements, recovery and environmental issues.
In the Portuguese territory, the complex
typologies of gold jewellery of the Early Iron Age (c. 850-400 BC)
differ significantly from the simple types of the Chalcolithic (c.
3000-2000 BC). This typological evolution was found to be related with
two technological developments: the use of less expensive and more workable
resources by alloying Au with Ag (up to 42%) and/or Cu (up to 6%), and the use
of autogenous welding and copper-rich solder alloys that allowed the
manufacture of intricate shapes by joining different components and filigree
decorations.
