Ana Aguiar Ricardo

From April 2011 to 2015: PhD student in Chemical Engineering at FCT/UNL, under the supervision of Professor Ana Aguiar-Ricardo. Thesis theme: “Antimicrobial polymeric membranes for water treatment - microbiocide membranes” (Grant from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, FCT-Lisbon: SFRH/BD/74730/2010).

2009: Master in Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, New University of Lisbon. Thesis: “Green Synthesis of 2-Oxazoline-based Polymers with Antimicrobial Activity using scCO₂”. Thesis supervisor: Prof. Dr. Ana Aguiar-Ricardo

2008: Degree in Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Lisbon. 

Scientific interests: Polymer and membrane synthesis using supercritical carbon dioxide, antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity evaluation, development of 3D structures for biomedical applications and water purification processes.

Contamination by microorganisms is of great concern in water purification systems specially when considering drinking usage and food preparation in order to avoid the widespread of waterborne diseases. Therefore, it is essential to become conscious that drinking water treatment has now become an important issue and alternative technologies need to be developed. The main goal of this thesis is the development of new antimicrobial polymeric membranes. Low cost membranes will be prepared using green technologies and neoteric solvents (supercritical carbon dioxide and ionic liquids). Modification of membrane surfaces with synthesized antimicrobial polymers (AMPs) will be achieved by conventional chemical strategies and by plasma technology. Of particular interest will be the use of biocidal agents synthesized in supercritical carbon dioxide, with minimal residual toxicity and prolonged lifetime, requiring contact times of seconds or minutes at most on an insoluble support.