João Carlos Marques

University of Coimbra | UC

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) aims to attain ‘good quality’ status for all European water bodies through the achievement of good ecological status. To this purpose, the WFD advocates the creation of cost-effective monitoring tools to deliver appropriate data that help to create links between chemical and ecological indicators, as those from e...

Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) is an anionic surfactant, extensively used in detergents, household and personal care products, as well as in industrial processes. The present study aimed to disclose the potential toxicological effects of SDS exposure under environmentally relevant concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, 3, and 10 mg L−1) on the physiology and bio...

Seaweeds are an abundant source of bioactive compounds and hydrocolloids that can be used in several industries, especially in the food industry. They can be directly consumed as a whole, used as an ingredient, or a source of several compounds that can enrich the nutrient content and sensory experience of foods. The demand for more sustainable pack...

Cadmium (Cd) is considered a priority hazardous substance under the European Community Directive 2013/39 due to its ecotoxicity. The ragworm Hediste diversicolor (O.F. Müller, 1776), a common species in estuaries and coastal lagoons, plays an important ecological role in these ecosystems and is a suitable bioindicator of environmental chemical cont...

Emerging pollutants impose a high degree of stress on marine ecosystems, compromising valuable resources, the planet and human health. Pharmaceutical residues often reach marine ecosystems, and their input is directly related to human activities. Fluoxetine is an antidepressant, and one of the most prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors...

Corbicula fluminea is one of the most successful invasive species in neotropical freshwater ecosystems. As alien species’ distribution in invaded regions is often facilitated by the presence of anthropogenic altered ecosystems, such as artificial channels and reservoirs. The present study is part of a larger joint scientific assessment of the ecolo...

Despite the increasing awareness of climate change, few studies have used the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scenarios to simulate the effects of climate change on estuarine populations of crustaceans. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of temperature and salinity fluctuations on the population dynamics of...

Wildfires are a social and environmental concern to the world due to their many adverse effects, including risk to the public health and security, economic damages in prevention and fight, ecosystems pollution, land usage sustainability, and biodiversity. In the Mediterranean region, these events have increased in the last years. Although several s...

Present-day COVID-19 pandemic led to the increasing daily use of antimicrobials worldwide. Triclosan is a manmade disinfectant chemical used in several of consumer healthcare products, thus being frequently detected in surface waters. In the present work, we aimed to evaluate triclosan effect on diatom cell photophysiology, fatty acid profiles and...

The use of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) worldwide has increased exponentially over the last two decades increasing the environmental risk to marine and coastal habitats. The present study investigated the effects of a GBH at environmentally relevant concentrations (0, 10, 50, 100, 250, and 500 μg L−1), on the physiology and biochemistry (photo...

In recent years, an increased interest in marine macroalgae bioactive compounds has been recorded due to their benefits to human health and welfare. Several of their bioactivities have been demonstrated, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antibacterial and antiviral behavior. However, there still lacks a clear definition rega...

Physiological changes were explored in fatty acids (FA) and carbohydrate (CHO) composition in the shredder Calamoceras marsupus larvae (Trichoptera) and leaf litter (C. marsupus food) exposed to copper and uranium under natural and experimental conditions. We measured FA and CHO content in leaf litter and larvae specimens from reference and impacte...

Fatty acids are molecules with important physiological functions, proved to be good bioindicators of the presence of natural and chemical stressors and so used as early warning signals. Indeed, biochemical analyzes, such as fatty acids, are an important tool in water body management and water quality analysis, allowing detecting molecular changes i...

Contaminants, when present above certain thresholds, can induce physiological constraints to organisms, namely diatoms, a model group representative of marine phytoplankton, triggering feedback mechanisms, such as changes in cell’s fatty acid profiles, that can be used as biomarkers towards xenobiotic exposure. Having this in mind and considering t...

In modern times, seaweeds have become widely involved in several biotechnological applications due to the variety of their constituent bioactive compounds. The consumption of seaweeds dates to ancient times; however, only from the last few decades of research can we explain the mechanisms of action and the potential of seaweed-derived bioactive com...

World aquaculture food production rises every year, amounting, by 2018, to another all-time record of 82.1 million tonnes of farmed seafood, with Asia leading global production. In Europe, although coastal countries present historical fishing habits, aquaculture is in true expansion. Norway, the leading European producer, is the eighth main produce...

Although dating back thousands of years, aquaculture has only recently experienced great development worldwide. It is unclear when aquaculture practices began, but findings over the years suggest the activity has existed for centuries. The first steps in this production may date back to the Neolithic age, around 4000 B.C., focusing on trapping aqua...

Because the world’s population is increasing, science-based policies are needed to promote sustainable global development. It is important to maintain and restore the environment and help human society overcome the risks from industrialization and unsustainable exponential growth. In recent years, many studies have highlighted that macroalgae repre...

There is a need to find new possible raw food sources with interesting nutritional values. One of the most unexploited sources are seaweeds. Thus, Ulva sp. is a green edible seaweed that shows a high growth rate in nature and can support drastic abiotic changes, such as temperature and salinity. This work aims to determine the main nutritional comp...

Citation: García-Poza, S.; Morais, T.; Leandro, A.; Cotas, J.; Marques, J.C.; Pereira, L.; Gonçalves, A.M.M. A Comparative Study of the Fatty Acids and Monosaccharides of Wild and Cultivated Ulva sp. J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10, 233. https://doi.

Impacts of nanoplastics (NPPs) on leaf decomposers and food quality were assessed. • NPPs (0-25 µg L-1) impacted leaf mass loss, fungal sporulation and abundance. • NPPs (100 nm) had a pronounced impact on food quality. • Food quality did not impact the feeding behaviour of invertebrates. • Basal trophic levels are more impacted by low concentratio...

Seaweeds are a source of several compounds with bioactive properties. The research about these compounds has been increasing mainly to develop edible and biodegradable films to extend shelf life of food products maintaining the safety and preserving the quality of raw and pre-cooked food products, while reducing food and packaging waste. Therefore,...

The harvesting and the consumption of seaweeds (marine macroalgae) has been known for centuries. There are ancient records of their use in Asian countries, nevertheless in recent years they have become popular and commercialized in Europe, as well in the American continent. Harvesting and aquaculture have increased seaweed feedstock and consequentl...

Synthetic or semi-synthetic organic polymers (known as plastics) are widely used, due to their low price and easy manufacture. Over the years, glass, wood, and other materials (e.g. metal) have been replaced by plastic in many applications. Nowadays, plastics play a significant role in many “short-term” disposable applications, such as product pack...

Seaweeds are an abundant source of bioactive compounds and hydrocolloids that can be used in several industries, especially in the food industry. They can be directly consumed as a whole, used as an ingredient, or a source of several compounds that can enrich the nutrient content and sensory experience of foods. The demand for more sustainable pack...

Seaweeds are gaining momentum as novel and functional food and feed products. From whole consumption to small bioactive compounds, seaweeds have remarkable flexibility in their applicability, ranging from food production to fertilizers or usages in chemical industries. Regarding food production, there is an increasing interest in the development of...

Citation: Monteiro, P.; Lomartire, S.; Cotas, J.; Pacheco, D.; Marques, J.C.; Pereira, L.; Gonçalves, A.M.M. Seaweeds as a Fermentation Substrate: A Challenge for the Food Processing Industry. Processes 2021, 9, 1953. https://doi.org/10.3390/ pr9111953 Academic Editors: Tiane Finimundy, Taofiq Oludemi and Filipa S. Reis

Marine biota is a great source of ecosystem services. Recently, the involvement of marine organisms in biotechnological applications has been discovered and become useful for the development of alternative and healthy food, natural medicine and cosmetics. The most known ecosystem service is the provision of seafood; however, fishery management has...

Chlorophyll a induction curves, or Kautsky curves, have been extensively used to study physiological stress conditions in phototrophic organisms, with the analysis of several derived parameters. Nevertheless, these variables use only about 10 % of the information comprised in the complete Kautsky curve dataset, leaving 90 % of the photochemical dat...

Macroalgae are a biological group that has mainly been used in Asian countries; however, the interest shown by Western society is recent, its application in the industrial sector having increased in the last few decades. Seaweeds are filled with properties which are beneficial to our health. To use them as food and enhance these properties, heat ha...

Macroalgae are a biological group that has mainly been used in Asian countries; however, the interest shown byWestern society is recent, its application in the industrial sector having increased in the last few decades. Seaweeds are filled with properties which are beneficial to our health. To use them as food and enhance these properties, heat has...

The mismatch between the conceptual understanding of the Ecosystem Services (ES) in science, and their practical application, remains. Among the many issues under discussion is the link between knowledge and implementation. Base knowledge built over cases studies exist, but their usefulness for site-specific management purposes is limited. The goal...

The exponential increase of the human population demands the overuse of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture practices to suppress food production needs. The excessive use of these chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides) can comport deleterious effects to the ecosystems, including aquatic systems and communities. Oxyfluorfen is a fluorine-based...

According to climate change scenarios the incidence of extreme events, such as flooding, is expected to increase worldwide. In the current climate change context, understanding behavioural responses of marine species to such stressors is essential, especially for species of high ecological and economic interest such as bivalves, which can be quite...

Hypersaline ecosystems are under increasing threat due to anthropogenic pressures such as environmental pollution and biological invasions. Here we address the ecotoxicological implications of the Artemia franciscana (Crustacea) invasion in saltpans of southern Spain. This North American species is causing the extinction of native Artemia populatio...

Currently, seaweeds are gaining major attention due to the benefits they give to our health. Recent studies demonstrate the high nutritional value of seaweeds and the powerful properties that seaweeds’ bioactive compounds provide. Species of class Phaeophyceae, phylum Rhodophyta and Chlorophyta possess unique compounds with several properties that...

Seaweeds have a great variety of compounds with different properties and benefits to human health. Marine macroalgae provide a high nutritional value along with low caloric value, poor in fat, and with the presence of polysaccharides that behave as fibers with no calories. This is not widespread, but some macroalgae and by-products are used in vari...

The overexploitation of terrestrial habitats, combined with the ever-growing demand for food, has led to the search for alternative food sources. The importance of seaweeds as food sources has been growing, and their potential as sources of fatty acids (FA) make seaweeds an interesting feedstock for the food and nutraceutical industries. The aim of...

Bivalves are widely distributed through diverse habitats, including estuaries and coastal lagoons which are extremely productive ecosystems, and play important roles in trophic webs and in ecosystems’ biological processes. Bivalves, as well as other marine resources, have been a part of the humans’ diet since mankind started fishing. These resource...

Seaweeds are a potential source of bioactive compounds that are useful for biotechnological applications and can be employed in different industrial areas in order to replace synthetic compounds with components of natural origin. Diverse studies demonstrate that there is a solid ground for the exploitation of seaweed bioactive compounds in order to...

The quality of aquatic systems is threated by the huge amount of chemicals dispersed in the environment. Anthropogenic activities are one of the main causes of pollution by metals, water sewage, pesticides, pharmaceutical drugs and other contaminants. These substances have consequences on the environment bringing abiotic and biotic deterioration. G...

The toxic effects associated to pesticides have been for long a concern in terms of environmental and human safety. The recognition of the limitations of numerous, if not all, pesticides in terms of species-specificity, toxicity level, persistency in the environment, influencing its runoff and transport ability, among other characteristics, have be...

The lack of specificity of pesticides used for control of various organisms, even if efforts have been made to design formulations more species-specific, produce harmful effects on non-target organisms. Oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation are amongst the main known effects induced by pesticide exposure, besides eventual lethal toxicity, endange...

Marine and coastal ecosystems are the ultimate sink of many contaminants from anthropogenic activities, such as trace elements. Although several ecotoxicological tests are available using autotrophic organisms, none focus on marine plants. Juncus acutus has already showed that it is a good candidate for ecotoxicological studies, providing a good se...

Present demographic trends suggest a rise in the contributions of human pharmaceuticals into coastal ecosystems, underpinning an increasing demand to evaluate the ecotoxicological effects and implications of drug residues in marine risk assessments. Propranolol, a non-selective β-adrenoceptor blocker, is used worldwide to treat high blood pressure...

Increasing input of Metal Engineered Nano Particles (MeENPs) in marine ecosystems has raised concerns about their potential toxicity on phytoplankton. Given the lack of knowledge on MeENPs impact on these important primary producers, the effects of Copper Oxide (CuO) ENPs on growth, physiology, pigment profiles, fatty acid (FA) metabolism, and oxid...

In recent decades, brine shrimps of the genus Artemia has suffered a major biodiversity loss in the Mediterranean region due to the introduction of the highly invasive A. franciscana. Pollution has been proposed as an important factor limiting this global invasion. Contrary to the general acceptation that pollution tends to favour invasive species,...

Glyphosate is the main active component of the commercial formulation Roundup®, the most used chemical herbicide worldwide. However, its potential high toxicity to the environment and throughout trophic webs has come under increasing scrutiny. The present study aims to investigate the application of bio-optical techniques and its correlation with t...

Seaweeds (marine macroalgae) are autotrophic organisms capable of producing many compounds of interest. For a long time, seaweeds have been seen as a great nutritional resource, primarily in Asian countries to later gain importance in Europe and South America, as well as in North America and Australia. It has been reported that edible seaweeds are...

Marine macroalgae or seaweeds are multicellular, macroscopic, eukaryotic and autotrophic organisms that are at the base of marine food chains. Seaweeds are constituted by macromolecules (proteins, lipids and carbohydrates) and secondary metabolites, such as essential minerals, vitamins and pigments, crucial in the metabolism. Generally, seaweeds ha...

The world population is continuously growing, so it is important to keep producing food in a sustainable way, especially in a way that is nutritious and in a sufficient quantity to overcome global needs. Seaweed grows, and can be cultivated, in seawater and generally does not compete for arable land and freshwater. Thus, the coastal areas of the pl...

Emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals are continuously released to aquatic environments posing a rising threat to marine ecosystems. Yet, monitoring routines and ecotoxicity data on biota worldwide for these substances are lacking. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are among the most prescribed and found pharmaceuticals in aquatic environ...

Salt marsh ecosystems are extremely impacted by human activities whilst also acting as sinks of contaminants such as heavy metals. Halophytic plant species can survive and thrive in estuarine and coastal areas with higher salt conditions that are generally not favourable to most plants. Halophyte distribution and abundance clearly relate to anthrop...

Vulnerability of coastal ecosystems has been increasing as a result of human perturbations that compromise the ability to provide multiple ecosystem services. Vulnerability is a function of exposure to stressors and of sensitivity to impact and resilience; it has been suggested as a proxy of a habitat's ability to deliver ecosystem services. Differ...

: How to predict the evolution of ecosystems is one of the numerous questions asked of ecologists by managers and politicians. To answer this we will need to give a scientific definition to concepts like sustainability, integrity, resilience and ecosystem health. This is not an easy task, as modern ecosystem theory exemplifies. Ecosystems show a hi...

Pharmaceutical residues impose a new and emerging threat to aquatic environments and its biota. One of the most commonly prescribed pharmaceuticals is the antidepressant fluoxetine, a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor that has been frequently detected, in concentrations up to 40 µg L-1, in aquatic ecosystems. The present study aims to investi...

The mismatch between the conceptual understanding of the Ecosystem Services (ES) in science, and their practical application, remains. Among the many issues under discussion is the link between knowledge and implementation. Base knowledge built over cases studies exist, but their usefulness for site-specific management purposes is limited. The goal...