Teresa Mouga

Instituto Politécnico de Leiria | ESTG · School of Tourism and Maritime Technology

Featured Application: Aqueous extracts from selected red seaweeds collected from central Portu-gal present antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, and therefore may be considered potential natural resources in a biotechnological context. Abstract: Throughout the ages, macroalgae have provided humankind with elements beneficial to human health, and...

Seaweeds have been valued in eastern culture for centuries, historically playing a key role as a nutraceutical. This role recently crossed over into western regions, and there is now progressive global acknowledgment of the value of seaweeds and their benefits to human health. This interest inevitably raises justified concerns regarding the sustain...

Macroalgae have been regarded as a natural food source since ancient times, their nutritional value being not only proven by recent studies, but also triggering further in-depth research efforts on the matter. The present study aims to provide an insight into the nutritional potential of selected red seaweed species collected in central Portugal by...

Gelidium corneum (Giant Gelidium or Atlantic agar) is a well-known red seaweed harvested for its high-quality agar content. Agar is a mixture of the polysaccharides used in the food industry as a gelling, thickener, clarifying, and stabilizer agent. The best agar quality is also used in the laboratory as bacteriological agar. Yet, in recent years,...

In recent decades, seaweeds have proven to be an excellent source of bioactive molecules. Presently, the seaweed Gelidium corneum is harvested in a small area of the Portuguese coast exclusively for agar extraction. The aim of this work was to fully disclosure Gelidium corneum as a sustainable source of antimicrobial ingredients for new dermatologi...

The ocean covers more than two thirds of the Earth's surface, and we currently know which is rich in unique environments, with natural resources potentially interesting to us humans. Inhabiting these rich ecosystems, macroalgae are counted, which can be defined, in a very simple way, as photosynthetic aquatic organisms, macroscopic and multicellula...

Algae taxa are notably diverse regarding pigment diversity and composition, red seaweeds (Rhodophyta) being a valuable source of phycobiliproteins (phycoerythrins, phycocyanin, and allophycocyanin), carotenes (carotenoids and xanthophylls), and chlorophyll a. These pigments have a considerable biotechnological potential, which has been translated i...

This study aims to identify different populations of Gracilariaceae collected from the central coast of Portugal through light microscopy, anatomical observations and genetic tools, essential approaches to correctly assign species identity. Samples were obtained from Ria de Aveiro (AV), Figueira da Foz (FFBC, FFMD), and Lagoa de Óbidos (LOBR, LOEV,...

Relação entre a disponibilidade de ferro (Fe2+) e a capacidade de sequestração de CO2 pela espécie Tetraselmis chuii O ferro provou ser um elemento fulcral para o balanço biogeoquímico da produtividade primária da zona eufótica dos oceanos. Estudos de "fertilização" em ferro que procuraram estabelecer esta relação foram conduzidos preferencialmente...

Oceanic islands are known for their high levels of plant diversity, due to disjunct geographical distribution that leads to speciation. The main factors contributing to genetic speciation includes the creation of a barrier within a previously widely distributed taxon and the limited dispersal of seeds, which favours genetic differentiation and, thu...

Gelidium corneum is a well-known agarophyte, harvested worldwide for its high agar quality. However, the species also exhibits an interesting nutritional profile, but with seasonal variations. Therefore, to evaluate the nutritional value of G. corneum, ash, crude protein, total lipids, and carbohydrates were analyzed at different times of the year....

Fish in aquaculture systems are subject to several stressors that inhibit the immune response and potentiate the development of disease and increased mortality. The inclusion of additives in the fish diet, namely seaweeds or their extracts, that are natural sources of bioactive compounds can be an important tool for promoting the health and well-be...

Seaweeds are known for their biotechnological and nutritional value, being currently exploited worldwide for scientific and industrial purposes, following the ever-growing demand for natural and healthy products. This seeped into an increasing exploitation of wild seaweed populations which, in turn, has led to the development of targeted culture te...

The red seaweed Gracilaria gracilis is a widely cultivated species known for its high agar content. It is also an important source of proteins, minerals, and vitamins. The chemical profile of seaweed depends on the cultivation methods used and the growing conditions to which they are exposed. Thus, two independent methods of sporulation and germina...

Seaweeds exhibit high nutritional value due to a balanced concentration of proteins, vitamins and minerals, a high concentration of low digestibility polysaccharides, and reduced levels of lipids, many of which are n-3 and n-6 fatty acids. The species Agarophyton vermiculophyllum is no exception and, as such, a comprehensive study of the chemical a...

Seaweeds have long been used by populations on the coast of Portugal as fertilizers or food during periods of scarcity. Both uses have decreased dramatically since the introduction of chemical fertilizers and horticulture food. Even so, in the past decades, globalization has brought new interest to the consumption of these organisms, raising intere...

There are more than four hundred endogenous seaweeds that occur in Portugal, and red seaweeds (Rhodophyta) are the most abundant. Among these, Gelidium corneum, common in the Atlantic coast of Portugal, is currently being collected in the wild, in S. Martinho do Porto, exclusively for the extraction of agar. During the summer season this species is...

Berlengas archipelago is a UNESCO world heritage site and the only location where Armeria berlengensis is found. This species faces various threats, namely, human disturbance, the presence of Carpobrotus edulis, yellow-legged gull, common-rabbit, and black-rat populations. Thus, exclusion areas were installed, which blocked the access of most Gulls...

Invasive macroalgae represent one of the major threats to marine biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and structure, as well as being important drivers of ecosystem services depletion. Many such species have become well established along the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula. However, the lack of information about the distribution of the invaders...

The ever-increasing interest in keeping a young appearance and healthy skin has leveraged the skincare industry. This, coupled together with the increased concern regarding the safety of synthetic products, has boosted the demand for new and safer natural ingredients. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to evaluate the dermatological potential o...

The marine environment holds a few of the richest ecosystems on the planet and astounding genetic diversity in the species that inhabit it [1]. The existing species of marine algae remain a mystery to scientist even today, but their biotechnological potential has become appealing to various industries [2,3]. Besides the natural production of bioact...

Wildlife-based ecotourism has been stated as an efficient tool to promote the conservation of endangered species and habitats. These activities also aim to create economic revenue for local communities. Likewise, ecotourism, intends to involve these communities in the management of the conservation programs and develop educational activities, eithe...

Tourists visit a natural park or a museum for leisure, but in the meantime they also learn. Learning happens everywhere. Thus, the BADGES perspective is to give visibility to this informal leaning in heritage sites and increase the learning depth using an APP in the mobile phone, reflective questions and games as learning and validation tools. The...

Among the four hundred endogenous seaweeds that occur in Portugal, red seaweeds (Rhodophyta) are the most abundant. Among these there is Gelidium corneum, a red seaweed, common in the Atlantic coast of Portugal, that is currently being collected in the wild, in S. Martinho do Porto, exclusively for the extraction of agar. During the summer season t...

As macroalgas são usadas há muito nos países asiáticos, tanto na alimentação humana como animal e, nos países ocidentais, este recurso tem despertado maior atenção nas últimas décadas, fruto da globalização. De facto, Investigação científica recente tem demonstrado o impacto do consumo regular das macroalgas no Homem, como promotor da saúde. Da mes...

Aquaculture is becoming increasingly important to feed the growing world population. Yet, the production of fish in aquaculture systems faces several challenges, namely the vulnerability to disease outbreaks, being this one of the major problems associated with this activity. Factors such as the high density of individuals in the tanks, frequent ha...

The use of natural extracts and crude biomass from seaweeds in food and feed, is a promising area, since these can be rich sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds, namely with antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. Recently there has been a growing interest regarding the potential of seaweeds as a source of nutritional and health related comp...

Seaweeds are macroscopic organisms, that thrive mainly in littoral rocky shores and estuaries, up to 200 meters depth, were light is enough to ensure photosynthesis. Three different groups can be identified by colour, being red (Rhodophyta), brown (Phaeophyceae) and green (Chlorophyta). Many seaweeds show interesting bioactive compounds. Thus, they...

The Berlengas archipelago is in the Atlantic Ocean, on the Portuguese continental shelf, on the western side of Iberian Peninsula, close to Cape Carvoeiro (Peniche). It distances approximately 5.7 miles from mainland. Berlengas was firstly classified as Natural Reserve in 1981. In 1998 this area was reclassified as Marine Reserve Area, increasing i...

Microalgae production is currently regarded as a fast-growing industrial activity, offering a noteworthy potential in several fields of science and healthcare, and a promising contribution to environment management. Standing as the most widely cultivated microalgae, Arthrospira platensis is highly sought out not only due to its nutritional value, b...

Seaweed culture systems worldwide aim to achieve high biomass production and profitable yields, by adopting methodologies specifically designed for a target species. In this sense, research aimed at improving the growth conditions of the red seaweed Gracilaria gracilis , a gracilarioid widely cultivated worldwide, is of utmost importance, mainly du...

The Berlengas archipelago is located in the Atlantic Ocean, about 7 miles from Peniche. It is a protected area since 1981, included in the Portuguese protected areas network and has been classified as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2011, aiming to ensure the conservation of the terrestrial and marine ecosystems representative of the island. Due t...

Plants and other living organisms sometimes show the ability to synthesize mixtures of volatile components, commonly known as essential oils, also defined as essence or volatile oil. According to the international standards the definitions of essential oil is restricted to the products obtained by the distillation of plant material and occur natura...

Seaweed culture systems worldwide aim to achieve high biomass production and profitable yields, by adopting methodologies specifically designed for a target species. In this sense, research aimed at improving the growth conditions of the red seaweed Gracilaria gracilis , a gracilarioid widely cultivated worldwide, is of utmost importance, mainly du...

This work presents an autonomous system for marine integrated physical-chemical and biological monitoring — the MarinEye system. It comprises a set of sensors providing diverse and relevant information for oceanic environment characterization and marine biology studies. It is constituted by a physical-chemical water properties sensor suite, a water...

Marine macroalgae are important sources of sulfated polysaccharides with different structure according to each species of algae. These compounds from the seaweeds of the division Rhodophyta are mainly galactans consisting entirely of galactose or modified galactose units. Galactans, like agar and carrageenan have important biotechnological and comm...

The project Berlengas Biosphere Reserve - Plan for the Assessment of Ecosystem Services and Functions arises from the need to identify and assess ecosystem services, promoting sustainable uses of the services in the Reserve. The high degradation rate currently observed in the natural systems, thus reducing the level and quality of ecosystem service...

Over the last years, algae have been increasingly used in Human food due their rich chemical and nutritional composition, particularly the high supply of essential nutrients to the human body such as protein and dietary fiber. Dietary fiber can be divided into two different types: soluble and insoluble. The characteristics of soluble dietary fiber...

Coastal areas are highly complex and dynamic ecosystem of interface between land, sea and atmosphere, which also suffer biotic influences. These areas play several important ecological functions, and here we can find an enormous biodiversity. The coastline of Portugal features a high number of endemic flora and vegetation with the potential to prov...

Fishing is a socio-economic activity of great relevance worldwide. However the environmental sustainability of the fishing arts is far from being effective. It is necessary to find more selective types of fishing to ensure sustainable catches of target species and also to protect other organisms accidentally caught with no commercial value. The ans...

Purified phlorotannin extracts from four brown seaweeds (Cystoseira nodicaulis (Withering) M. Roberts, Cystoseira tamariscifolia (Hudson) Papenfuss, Cystoseira usneoides (Linnaeus) M. Roberts and Fucus spiralis Linnaeus), were characterized by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn. Fucophloroethol, fucodiphloroethol, fucotriphloroethol, 7-phloroeckol, phlorofucofuroeck...

In this work a fast and simple multi-target gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for the simultaneous detection and absolute quantification of amino acids, fatty acids, sterols and lupanes in marine organisms is proposed. The methodology was applied to the characterization of the echinoderm Marthasterias glacialis Linnaeus spiny sea...

Purified phlorotannin extracts from four brown seaweeds (Cystoseira nodicaulis (Withering) M. Roberts, Cystoseira tamariscifolia (Hudson) Papenfuss, Cystoseira usneoides (Linnaeus) M. Roberts and Fucus spiralis Linnaeus), were characterized by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn. Fucophloroethol, fucodiphloroethol, fucotriphloroethol, 7-phloroeckol, phlorofucofuroeck...

Bacterial and fungal infections and the emerging multidrug resistance are driving interest in fighting these microorganisms with natural products, which have generally been considered complementary to pharmacological therapies. Phlorotannins are polyphenols restricted to brown seaweeds, recognized for their biological capacity. This study represent...

The sterol profiles of dominant macroalgae occurring in the western Portuguese coast were evaluated. An analytical procedure, involving alkaline hydrolysis and extraction followed by separation by reversed‐phase HPLC–diode array detection (HPLC–DAD), was optimized for the study of their sterols composition. The validated methodology is short in ana...

The intense phytochemical study of terrestrial ecosystems, in the past decades, resulted in the identification and characterization of several new bioactive compounds. However, along the years, the scientific community became motivated to change its route of investigation into aquatic systems, which are known to possess a rich and unexplored biodiv...

An HPLC-PAD-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-MS metabolite profiling analysis was conducted on the marine echinoderm Marthasterias glacialis (spiny sea-star). Bio-guided purification of the methanolic extract led to the isolation of several carotenoids, namely zeaxanthin, astaxanthin and lutein. These compounds were characterized using both...

The chemical composition of green Codium tomentosum Stackhouse and red Plocamium cartilagineum (Linnaeus) P.S. Dixon seaweeds from the Atlantic Ocean surrounding Portugal was studied. For the first time, the profile of organic acids was analysed in these matrices: seven and four organic acids were detected in green and red species, respectively. In...

The chemical control of wall vegetation growing on monuments has been stated as a suitable instrument of conservative intervention. However, often the use of herbicides has not been the most suitable, endangering either the environment or the monument in question. In particular, when dealing with limestone monuments, the chemical control has to be...