Elsa Coutinho Mesquita

• 2012 – PhD in Marine, Earth and Environmental Sciences, field in Environmental Sciences and Technologies, expertise in Biotechnology, Algarve University,Portugal
• 1997 – Graduation in Biochemistry (5 years), Lisbon University, Portugal

• 2021 - to date  Assistant Researcher, LNEC/DHA/NES
• 2013 - 2021  Researcher (Post-Doctoral fellow), LNEC/DHA/NES
• 2010 - 2012  Research trainee ((post-)doctoral), LNEC/DHA/NES
• 2006 - 2010  Doctoral fellow, LNEC/DHA/NES and UAlg/FCMA
• 2003 - 2005  Research fellow, UAlg/CIMA,
• 1999 - 2002  Research fellow, LNEC/DHA/NES
• 1998 - 1999  Research fellow, INETI/DB/UMIB

• Drinking water quality and treatment
• Wastewater quality, treatment and reuse
• Water quality in water and reclaimed water distribution systems
• Nature based solutions for water treatment
• Activated carbon adsorption and biofiltration processes for water and wastewater treatment
• Control of emerging contaminants, cyanobacteria, cyanotoxins, oxidation by-products and organic matter

Participation in 18 research projects, e.g.:

• 2021-2024 FCT EMPOWER⁺ Carvões nanoporosos reutilizáveis projetados para tratamento avançado de água (PTDC/EQY-QUE/6024/2020)2020-2024 H2020 B-WaterSmart–Accelerating Water Smartness in Coastal Europe (H2020‑SC5-2018-2019-2020)
• 2017-2019 LIFE Impetus–Improving current barriers for controlling pharmaceutical compounds in urban wastewater treatment plants (LIFE14 ENV/PT/000739)
• 2014-2016 LIFE aWARE–Innovative hybrid MBR-(PAC-NF) systems to promote Water Reuse (LIFE11 ENV/ES/606. LIFE+ ENV)
• 2013-2014 EU FP7 TRUST–Transition for urban water systems of tomorrow. WP 44.2.1. Technologies and management options – Lisbon membrane pilot (ENV.2010.3.1.1-1)
• 2008-2011 FCT CIANOBAC–Remoção de cianotoxinas da água para consumo humano por filtros de carvão activado com actividade biológica (PTDC/ECM/69610/2006)
• 2003-2005 EU FP7TOXIC–Barriers against cyanotoxins in drinking water (EUEVK1-CT-2002-00107)
• 1999-2002 INCO-DC–Control of bacterial regrowth in water supply and distribution systems in water-short European and Mediterranean countries

Scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals (20), book chapters (6), conference proceedings (50) and technical publications (40 reports and 2 magazine texts).

Theses

• Mesquita, E. (2012) Removal of cyanotoxins from drinking water by biological activated carbon filters. PhD thesis in Marine, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Algarve University, Portugal. (in Portuguese language)

Relevant book chapters

• Mestre, A.S., Campinas, M., Viegas, R.M.C., Mesquita, E., Carvalho, A.P., Rosa, M.J. (2022) Chapter 17 - Activated carbons in full-scale advanced wastewater E. treatment, In Advanced Materials for Sustainable Environmental Remediation: Terrestrial and Aquatic Environments, D.A. Giannakoudakis, L. Meili, I. Anastopoulos (Eds.), Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
• Mesquita E., Menaia J., Rosa M.J., Costa, V. (2006) Microcystin-LR removal by bench scale biological-activated-carbon filters. In Recent Progress in Slow sand and Alternative Biofiltration Processes, pp. 373-383. R. Gimbel, J. D. Graham and M. R. Collins (Eds.). IWA Publishing, London – ISBN: 9781843391203.

Relevant peer-reviewed papers

• Campinas, M., Viegas, R.M.C., Almeida, C.M.M., Martins, A., Silva, C., Mesquita, E., Coelho, R., Silva, S., Cardoso, V.V., Benoliel, M.J., Rosa, M.J. (2022) Powdered activated carbon full-scale addition to the activated sludge reactor of a municipal wastewater treatment plant: Pharmaceutical compounds control and overall impact on the process. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 49, 102975. doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2022.102975
• Mestre, A.S., Viegas, R.M.C., Mesquita, E., Rosa M.J., Carvalho A.P. (2022) Engineered pine nut shell derived activated carbons for improved removal of recalcitrant pharmaceuticals in urban wastewater treatment. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 437, 129319. doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129319
• Viegas R.M.C., Mestre A.S., Mesquita E., Machuqueiro M., Andrade M.A., Carvalho A.P., Rosa M.J. (2022) Key factors for activated carbon adsorption of pharmaceutical compounds from wastewaters: A multivariate modelling approach. Water, 14(2):166. doi.org/10.3390/w14020166
• Costa, J., Mesquita, E., Ferreira, F., Rosa, M.J., Viegas, R.M.C. (2021) Identification and Modelling of Chlorine Decay Mechanisms in Reclaimed Water Containing Ammonia. Sustainability 2021, 13, 13548. doi: 10.3390/su132413548
• Viegas, R.M.C., Mestre, A.S., Mesquita, E., Campinas, M., Andrade, M., Carvalho, A.P., Rosa, M.J. (2020) Assessing the applicability of a new carob waste-derived powdered activated carbon to control pharmaceutical compounds in wastewater treatment. Science of the Total Environment 743. 140791. doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140791
• Viegas, R.M.C., Mesquita, E., Campinas, M., Rosa, M.J. (2020) Pilot Studies and Cost Analysis of Hybrid Powdered Activated Carbon/Ceramic Microfiltration for Controlling Pharmaceutical Compounds and Organic Matter in Water Reclamation. Water, 12, 33. doi:10.3390/w12010033
• Campinas, M., Mesquita, E., Viegas, R.M.C., Rosa, M.J. (2016) Using activated carbon based technologies for the removal of emerging contaminants from water/wastewater – UQTA (LNEC) Projects, BOLETIN del Grupo Español del Carbón, 40, 13 - 17.
• Menaia, J., Mesquita, E. (2004) Drinking water pipe biofilms: present knowledge concepts and significance. Water Science and Technology: Water Supply, 4 (2), 115–124. doi.org/10.2166/ws.2004.0036