Ana Maria da Conceição Ferreira Takahashi

Junior Researcher

Short CV

Ana M. Ferreira is currently a Junior Researcher at the Aveiro Institute of Materials (CICECO), University of Aveiro, and Principal Investigator of the FCT-funded project GreenPATH (2023.15169.PEX), which focuses on developing sustainable strategies for polymer recycling.

Her career has been shaped by international research experiences, including PhD stays at Universidade Estadual Paulista (Brazil) and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (Japan), as well as postdoctoral fellowships at the Technical University of Munich (Germany, as a TUM University Foundation Fellow) and Kanazawa University (Japan, as a JSPS Fellow).

Her research focuses on the development of sustainable processes using eco-friendly solvents for the valorization of biomass and the recycling of plastic waste. She integrates green chemistry and biotechnology tools in circular economy contexts, with a particular interest in bio-based solvents and enzyme-assisted strategies.

Ana Ferreira has authored 43 peer-reviewed publications, 4 book chapters, and 1 patent (h-index 20, >1400 citations). She has participated in 7 research projects, leading 2 as Principal Investigator, and collaborates with academic and industrial partners including Mistolin, LEGO, and Volvo within European initiatives such as FUR4Sustain and ABSolEU.

In addition to her research, she has supervised over 25 students and is actively involved in scientific dissemination. She contributed to the organization of international events such as IMIL2024 and the Plastic 360º workshop (2024). Her work has been recognized with several Best Poster Awards at international conferences and, most recently, with the CICECO Young Researcher Award (2024).

Background

2014-2018: PhD in Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Portugal.

2011-2013: MSc in Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Portugal.

2008-2011: BSc in Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Portugal.

Personal Webpage

Visit https://sites.google.com/site/anamariaconceicaoferreira0113/ for more information about Ana M. Ferreira's research activities, publications, projects, and academic background.

Scientific Interests

Ana M. Ferreira's current research focuses on the development of sustainable processes through the use of eco-friendly solvents, with a particular emphasis on the valorization of biomass and the recycling of plastic waste. Her work targets the extraction of bioactive compounds from biomass and the selective recovery of polymers from plastic waste, including the removal of additives. She uses computational tools such as COSMO-RS to support the rational selection of green solvents, including ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents, and biosolvents. She also explores enzyme-assisted approaches for depolymerization, extraction, and transformation, integrating green chemistry and biotechnology within circular economy frameworks.

Ongoing Supervisions

Projects

Publications

Efficient Extraction of the RuBisCO Enzyme from Spinach Leaves Using Aqueous Solutions of Biocompatible Ionic Liquids

Ana I. Valente, Ana M. Ferreira, Mafalda R. Almeida, Aminou Mohamadou, Mara G. Freire and Ana P. M. Tavares
2022, Sustainable Chemistry, 3, 1-18.

First Stage of the Development of an Eco-Friendly Detergent Formulation for Efficient Removal of Carbonized Soil

Fernandes, APM; Ferreira, AM; Sebastiao, M; Santos, R; Neves, CMSS; Coutinho, JAP
2022, MOLECULES, 27, 21.

Pretreatment of Plastic Waste: Removal of Colorants from HDPE Using Biosolvents

Ferreira, AM; Sucena, I; Otero, V; Angelin, EM; Melo, MJ; Coutinho, JAP
2022, MOLECULES, 27, 1.

The impact of size and shape in the performance of hydrotropes: a case-study of alkanediols

Abranches, DO; Soares, BP; Ferreira, AM; Shimizu, S; Pinho, SP; Coutinho, JAP
2022, PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS, 24, 13, 7624-7634.

The impact of the counterion in the performance of ionic hydrotropes

Dinis O. Abranches, Jordana Benfica, Bruna P. Soares, Ana M. Ferreira, Tânia E. Sintra, Seishi Shimizu, João A. P. Coutinho
2021, Chemical Communications, 57, 2951-2954 .

Propranolol resolution using enantioselective biphasic systems

Carreira, ARF; Ferreira, AM; Almeida, MR; Coutinho, JAP; Sintra, TE
2021, SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY, 254.
ISBN: 1873-3794

Zwitterionic compounds are less ecotoxic than their analogous ionic liquids

Jesus, F; Passos, H; Ferreira, AM; Kuroda, K; Pereira, JL; Goncalves, FJM; Coutinho, JAP; Ventura, SPM
2021, GREEN CHEMISTRY, 23, 10, 3683-3692.
ISBN: 1463-9270

Sustainable liquid supports for laccase immobilization and reuse: Degradation of dyes in aqueous biphasic systems

Ferreira, AM; Valente, AI; Castro, LS; Coutinho, JAP; Freire, MG; Tavares, APM
2021, BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOENGINEERING, 118, 7, 2514-2523.
ISBN: 1097-0290

Using COSMO-RS to Predict Solvatochromic Parameters for Deep Eutectic Solvents

Wojeicchowski, JP; Abranches, DO; Ferreira, AM; Mafra, MR; Coutinho, JAP
2021, ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, 9, 30, 10240-10249.

Integrated Biocatalytic Platform Based on Aqueous Biphasic Systems for the Sustainable Oligomerization of Rutin

Muniz-Mouro, A; Ferreira, AM; Coutinho, JAP; Freire, MG; Tavares, APM; Gullon, P; Gonzalez-Garcia, S; Eibes, G
2021, ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, 9, 29, 9941-9950.

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