Duarte, Elizabeth Fernandes de AlmeidaFragoso, Rita do AmaralDordio, Ana Vitória BarrocasBeretta, MagdaMachado, Ana Isabel de Oliveira2021-03-302022-03-302020Machado, A.I.O. - Removal of pharmaceutical active compounds by constructed wetland systems - a sustainable phytoremediation technique?. Lisboa: ISA, 2020, 218 p.http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/21195Doutoramento em Restauro e Gestão Fluviais - Instituto Superior de Agronomia. Universidade de LisboaEmergent pollutants such as pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) have gained attention in the recent years since they can pose a threat to both river ecosystems and human health. The wide variety of pollutants in the market nowadays has overburdened the current wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Moreover, due to the increasingly growing society ecological awareness, environment friendly technologies have been more recently explored for wastewater treatment. Constructed wetlands (CWs) systems are an attractive example since they mimic natural processes such as pollutants filtration, phytoremediation and biodegradation but in a controlled form. The present thesis explore the potential of using locally available industry by products and native riparian wetland plants for enhancing the performance and implementation of CWs, for the removal of the highly consumed diuretic drug Furosemide. The state of art on the thesis subject was elaborated taking into account the situation in Portugal and in Brazil. Afterwards the validation of an analytical Furosemide quantification method through high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-UV) in aqueous solution was performed taking in consideration the thesis projected experiments design. Light expanded clay aggregates and cork granulates were tested in terms of Furosemide adsorption capacity, showing both good removal values although with different adsorption ratio behaviours. A plant uptake experiment was performed with Iris pseudacorus to develop an analytical quantification method through HPLC-MS/MS for Furosemide in plant tissues. The PhAC was detected in the plants at residual concentrations hence limiting plant uptake capacity conclusions. Additionally, an experiment with both Iris pseudacorus and Typha domingensis was performed to study their uptake capacity, having both promoted similar removals of the PhAC. In overall, the tested components showed potential for CWs application and enhancementengconstructed wetlandsadsorptioncontaminationpharmaceutical active compoundsphytoremediation.doctoral thesis101617186