Website: https://www.up.pt/portal/en/
he University of Porto (UPORTO) is one of Portugal’s leading public universities and a major center for research and innovation in Europe. Through its Faculty of Engineering (FEUP) and the Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering – Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials (LSRE-LCM), UPORTO is internationally recognized for excellence in environmental engineering, chemical process development, and clean technologies.
Research activities at LSRE-LCM focus on membrane filtration, adsorption processes, catalysis, and advanced oxidation technologies for water and wastewater treatment. The university fosters strong collaborations with industry and public utilities, promoting the integration of renewable energy, circular economy practices, and sustainable resource management.
Role in the NEWater Project
In the NEWater project, UPORTO leads Work Package 1 (Wastewater Lab1 Validation), dedicated to demonstrating the integration of wastewater treatment and green hydrogen production. The UPORTO team develops and optimizes nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) pilot systems to produce high-quality recycled water suitable for hydrogen generation via proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis.
Additionally, UPORTO assesses the impact of water impurities on electrolyser performance, ensuring the reliability of green hydrogen production from non-conventional water sources. The university also leads the development of ozone-based technologies for treating RO retentates using oxygen by-products from electrolysis, reinforcing the project’s energy-water nexus and advancing carbon-neutral wastewater treatment models.
Key personnel involved
Prof. Vítor J.P. Vilar
Principal Researcher at the Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering – Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials (LSRE-LCM), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (FEUP). He specializes in environmental technologies including membrane filtration, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), process integration & intensification, and wastewater resources recovery.
Dr.Catarina Cruzeiro
Researcher at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (UPORTO), Portugal.
Her work focuses on environmental chemistry and analytical monitoring of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in aquatic environments. Dr. Cruzeiro specializes in developing and applying advanced chromatographic and mass-spectrometric techniques for the detection of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and other pollutants in wastewater, surface water, and sediments.
Her research contributes to understanding contaminant fate, transport, and risk assessment, supporting the development of innovative treatment technologies and sustainable water-reuse strategies in line with European environmental policies.