Jump to the content
Hydraulics and Environment Department Hydraulics and Environment Department

Maria João Rosa

Maria João Rosa
Head of Unit
Phone: 218 443 625

Professional Situation

  • Principal Researcher
  • Head of the Urban Water Unit
  • Coordinator of the research area on Water Quality, Treatment and Reuse (LNEC/NES)

Academic and Scientific Degrees

  • 2023 – Habilitation (Agregação) in Environmental Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa (IST/UL), Portugal.
  • 1995 – PhD Chemical Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa (IST/UTL), Portugal.
  • 1989 – Graduation (Dipl. Ing.) in Chemical Engineering (5 years), IST/UTL, Portugal.

Functions and Relevant Public Offices

  • Mar/2024 – Principal Researcher
  • Jan/2015 – … - Head of the Urban Water Unit (NES) – DHA/LNEC
  • Mar/2014 – Oct/2021 Coordinator of the Water Quality and Treatment Laboratory (UQTA), LNEC EM Testing and Metrology
  • Dec/2006 – Mar/2024 - Senior researcher – LNEC, DHA/NES
  • Jun/2005 – Dec/2006 – Associate Professor – University of Algarve
  • Fev/1997 – ai/2005 – Assistant Professor – University of Algarve

Areas of Research / Interest

  • Drinking water quality and treatment
  • Wastewater treatment and water reclamation and reuse
  • Advanced technologies (membrane filtration, adsorption, hybrid processes, flotation, oxidation)
  • Performance indicators and indices for water and wastewater treatment plants (WTPs/WWTPs)
  • Energy efficiency in WTPs/WWTPs and strategic asset management
  • Control of contaminants of emerging concern, pharmaceutical compounds, cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins, natural organic matter and disinfection by-products

Research and Professional Activity

  • Editor of "Águas & Resíduos” journal (2016 - March 2023)
  • Guest Editor for Water special issue on "Advanced Technologies for Water Reclamation and Reuse" (2020 - 2021)
  • Assistant Guest Editor for Sustainability special issue on "Sanitation, pollution control and water management" (2020 - 2021)
  • Member of the Management Committee of IWA Water Reuse Specialist Group (MC Representatives - Portugal) (2008 -…)
  • Portuguese delegate for ISO/TC282 Water Reuse (2014-…), former ISO/PC253 (2010 - 2013)
  • Member of SC3/CT90 (Water reuse/Urban water systems) (2011 - …)
  • President of SC3/CT90 (Water reuse/Urban water systems) (2011 - 2016)
  • Vice-President of APESB, the Portuguese Association for Environmental and Sanitary Engineering (2015 - 2018; 2007 - 2011)

43 research project (coordination/supervision of 26) and 43 technical studies (coordination/supervision of 37), e.g.:

  • 2023-2027 & 2015 - 2022. p2i Water in the city. Transition to the cities of tomorrow. NES (Urban water unit of LNEC) strategic research framework project (Coordinator)
  • 2023-2025. LIFE Fitting: Demonstration of an innovative PLAN-DO toolbox for a safer, resource efficient and fit-for-purpose wastewater treatment (Coordinator)
  • 2023-2026. Rede CYTED RECIRCULA: Economia circular na indústria iberoamericana: Resíduos em produtos de valor acrescentado (coordination of LNEC participation)
  • 2020 - 2024. B-watersmart: Accelerating Water Smartness in Coastal Europe. H2020-EU.3.5.4. & H2020-EU.3.5.2.2, Grant agreement ID: 869171 (coordination of LNEC participation and Lisbon Living Lab mentor)
  • 2021 - 2024. EMPOWER+. Engineered and reusable nanoporous carbons for advanced water treatment (PTDC/EQU-EQU/6024/2020)
  • 2017 - 2020. iEQTA: National Initiative for Energy, Water Quality and Treatment (Coordinator)
  • 2016 - 2019. LIFE Impetus: Improving current barriers for controlling pharmaceutical compounds in urban wastewater treatment plants (Coordinator) WEX Global 2019 award for "Innovation in Technology” (March 2019), PT Global water award 2019 for R+D+i (December 2019) Best LIFE ENV 2021 Finalist
  • 2013 - 2016. LIFE HyMemb: Tailoring hybrid membrane processes for sustainable drinking water production (www.life-hymemb.eu) (Coordinator) "a Best LIFE ENV project 2016-2017”

Scientific Orientation

  • Post-Doctoral fellows: 7
  • PhD theses: 7 concluded
  • Master Theses and Graduation theses: 47
  • Visiting PhD students: 1
  • Staff Mobility for Training: 1
  • Project research grants: 772+ person*month

Relevant Publications

620+ publications (h-index 26).
  • Costa J., Mesquita E., Ferreira F., Figueiredo D., Rosa M.J., Viegas R.M.C. (2023). Modelling chlorine decay in reclaimed water distribution systems – a Lisbon area case study. Sustainability 15, 16211. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152316211
  • Cardoso M.A., Brito R.S., Silva C., Rodrigues S., Rodrigues R., Costa A., Cardoso J., Jorge C., Alegre H., Rosa M.J. (2023). Quality of urban water services provided to users. Assessment system and the Portuguese path through four generations, lessons learned and new challenges. Sustainability 15, 15273. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115273
  • Cassidy J., Silva T., Semião N., Ramalho P., Santos A.R., Feliciano J.F., Silva C., Rosa M.J. (2023). Integrating reliability and energy efficiency assessments for pinpointing actionable strategies for enhanced performance of urban wastewater treatment plants. Sustainability 15, 12965. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151712965
  • Silva C., Almeida C.M.M, Rodrigues J.A., Silva S., Coelho M.R., Martins A., Lourinho R., Cardoso E., Cardoso V.V., Benoliel M.J., Mesquita E., Ribeiro R., Rosa M.J. (2023). Improving the pharmaceutical compounds control in two activated sludge wastewater treatment plants: key operating conditions and monitoring parameters. Journal of Water Process Engineering 54, 103985. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2023.103985
  • Cardoso M.A., Rosa M.J., Brito R.S., Silva C., Beceiro P., Jorge C.N., Alegre H., Martinho G., Pina J., Silveira A., Alves A.V., Ana J.B., Ramos M., Carrega M. (2022). Guia de avaliação da qualidade dos serviços de águas e resíduos prestados aos utilizadores. 4.ª geração do sistema de avaliação. Guia Técnico 27. ERSAR, LNEC, NOVA. Lisboa. ISBN 978‑989‑8360‑42‑7. 354pp. (versão de 29 de dezembro de 2021) + info
  • Mestre A.S., Campinas M., Viegas R.M.C., Mesquita E., Carvalho A.P., Rosa M.J. (2022). Activated carbons in full-scale advanced wastewater treatment. Chap. 17 In Advanced Materials for Sustainable Environmental Remediation: Terrestrial and Aquatic Environments. Eds D.A. Giannakoudakis, L. Meili, I. Anastopoulos. Elsevier. MA, USA. eBook ISBN: 9780323904865, pp. 433-474. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-90485-8.00001-1
  • 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. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129319
  • Campinas M, Viegas R.M.C., Almeida C.M.M, Martins A., Silva C., Mesquita E., Coelho M.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. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2022.102975
  • Cravo A., Silva S., Rodrigues J., Cardoso, V.V., Benoliel M.J., Correia C., Coelho M.R., Rosa M.J., Almeida C.M.M. (2022). Understanding the bioaccumulation of pharmaceutical active compounds by clams Ruditapes decussatus exposed to a UWWTP discharge. Environmental Research 208, 112632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.112632
  • Silva C., Rosa M.J. (2022). A comprehensive derivation and application of reference values for benchmarking the energy performance of activated sludge wastewater treatment. Water 14, 1620. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14101620
  • Silva C., Rosa M.J. (2022). A treatment reliability-based method for supporting infrastructure asset management of wastewater treatment plants. Water 14, 1106. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14071106
  • Viegas R.M.C., Mestre A.S., Mesquita E., Machuqueiro M., Andrade M., 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. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14020166
  • Costa J.R., 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 13(24), 13548. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132413548
  • Dalto F., Kuźniarska-Biernacka I., Pereira C., Mesquita E., Soares O.S.G.P., Pereira M.F.R., Rosa M.J., Mestre A.S., Carvalho A.P., Freire C. Solar light-induced methylene blue removal over TiO2/AC composites and photocatalytic regeneration. Nanomaterials 11(11), 3016, https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11113016
  • Silva C., Rosa M. J. (2021) A practical methodology for forecasting the impact of changes in influent loads and discharge consents on average energy consumption and sludge production by activated sludge wastewater treatment. Sustainability 13(21), 12293, https://doi.org/10.3390/su132112293
  • Silva C., Almeida C.M.M., Rodrigues J.A., Silva S., Coelho M.R., Martins A., Lourinho R., Cardoso E., Cardoso V.V., Benoliel M.J., Rosa M.J. (2021). Occurrence and seasonality of pharmaceutical compounds in urban wastewaters in two Portuguese regions. Urban Water Journal, doi: 10.1080/1573062X.2021.1893365
  • Mesquita E., Ribeiro R., Silva C.J.C., Alves R., Baptista R., Condinho S., Rosa M.J., Perdigão J., Caneiras C., Duarte A. (2021). An update on wastewater multi-resistant bacteria: identification of clinical pathogens such as Escherichia coli O25b:H4-B2-St131-producing CTX-M-15 ESBL and KPC-3 carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella oxytoca. Microorganisms 9, 576. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9030576
  • Campinas M., Viegas R.M.C., Coelho R., Lucas H., Rosa M. J. (2021). Adsorption/Coagulation/Ceramic Microfiltration for Treating Challenging Waters for Drinking Water Production. Membranes 11(2) 91. doi.org/10.3390/membranes11020091
  • Viegas R.M.C., Campinas M., Coelho R., Lucas H., Rosa M. J. (2021). Hybrid Process of Adsorption/Coagulation/Ceramic MF for Removing Pesticides in Drinking Water Treatment—Inline vs. Contact Tank PAC Dosing. Membranes 11(2) 72. doi.org/10.3390/membranes11020072
  • Campinas M., Silva C., Viegas R.M.C., Coelho R., Lucas H., Rosa, M. J. (2020). To what extent may pharmaceuticals and pesticides be removed by PAC conventional addition to low-turbidity surface waters and what are the potential bottlenecks? Journal of Water Process Engineering. 101833. doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2020.101833
  • Campinas M., Viegas R.M.C., Silva C., Lucas H., Rosa M.J. (2021) Operational performance and cost analysis of PAC/ceramic MF for drinking water production: exploring treatment capacity as a new indicator for performance assessment and optimization. Separation and Purification Technology 255, 117443 doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2020.117443
  • 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
  • Ribau Teixeira M., Rosa M.J., Sorlini S., Biasibetti M., Christophoridis C., Edwards C. (2020) Removal of Cyanobacteria and Cyanotoxins by Conventional Physical-chemical Treatment. Chap. 3 In Water Treatment for Purification from Cyanobacteria and Cyanotoxins. Eds. A.E. Hiskia, T.M. Triantis, M.G. Antoniou, T. Kaloudis, D.D. Dionysiou. Wiley. ISBN: 978-1-118-92865-3, 69-98. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118928677.ch3
  • Silva C., Rosa M.J. (2020) Performance assessment of 23 wastewater treatment plants - a case study, Urban Water Journal, doi:10.1080/1573062X.2020.1734634
  • Loureiro D., Silva C., Cardoso M.A., Mamade A., Alegre H., Rosa M.J. (2020) The Development of a Framework for Assessing the Energy Efficiency in Urban Water Systems and Its Demonstration in the Portuguese Water Sector. Water 12(1). 14 pp. doi:10.3390/w12010134
  • 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(1). 13 pp. doi:10.3390/w12010033

Other scientific and technical Activities

  • Member of PhD (26) and MSc (10) evaluation panels and 8 PhD advisory boards
  • Referee for 27 ISI journals
  • Session Chairperson and member of the Scientific Board of national (e.g. ENASB) and international congresses (e.g. IWA World Water Congress, IWA REUSE, SILUBESA)
  • Member of FCT evaluation panels for PhD (2011-2013, 2018, 2019) and Post-doc Grants’ funding (2011-2013)
  • Member of evaluation panels for international projects’ funding (Norway, France)
  • Member of the Jury of the Portuguese annual awards on service quality of water, wastewater and wastes utilities (2011-2015)
  • Coordination and teaching of short courses (7-21 h) on water quality and treatment held at LNEC, in companies and abroad

« return