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Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are considered a major problem for public health, leading to high rates of lower-limb amputations. Moreover, due to the high prevalence rate of predisposing factors, the incidence rate of DFU is still rising. Although DFUs are complex in nature, foot ulceration usually precedes diabetic foot amputations. These impaired chronic wounds usually promote a microbial biofilm, commonly characterized by the presence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms, hampering the efficacy of conventional antibiotic treatments. Honey has been shown to be an effective antibacterial component, including against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Honey’s physical–chemical characteristics, such as the presence of hydrogen peroxide, its low pH levels, and its high sugar and phenolic contents, promote anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities, improving wound healing. This review aims to explore honey’s effects in wound healing, especially for DFUs, and to show how the different physical–chemical features among different honey types might influence the treatment’s effectiveness. For this, the mechanisms by which honey can promote wound healing and the potential use of honey dressings in diabetic wounds were investigated in animal models and humans. After revising the diabetic wound impairment mechanisms, we found that most of the clinical studies that treated DFUs with honey in animal models or humans reported accelerated wound healing, greater wound contraction, and lower amputation or hospitalization rates; however, few studies characterized the features of honeys used for wound treatment, hindering the possibility of extensively comparing the different types of honey and identifying characteristics that most successfully promote wound healing. According to this review, honey is a cost-effective and safe option for DFU management.

The granite sludge (GS) produced during block sawing can be exploited as alternative raw material in ceramic and concrete industries. Based on the case study of a Portuguese granite processing plant, this work analysed, by experimental tests and Environmental and Cost Life Cycle analyses, the feasibility of GS valorisation as a substitute (i) for feldspar in a ceramic paste and (ii) fine–medium inert filler in structural concrete. The results demonstrated that both the valorisation pathways are more advantageous than GS landfilling. Due to granulometric, mineralogical composition and shrinkage, GS can substitute feldspar in sandstone tiles or tableware products, although its tinting effect can limit noble whitish ceramic applications. In structural concrete mixes, 5% w/w GS instead of fine inert filler reduces the compressive strength and increases the water:cement ratio. The GS generates lower environmental impacts as a substitute for inert filler than as a substitute for feldspar in most of the impact categories analysed, even though the latter valorisation pathway provides higher benefits in Climate Change and the Depletion of Fossil resources, Water, and Ozone. If no monetary value is recognised for GS valorisation by the market, the sustainability of GS life cycle cost decreases when compared to its landfilling.

Since ancestor times, honey has been used to promote human health due to its medicinal, and nutritious properties, mainly due to bioactive compounds present, such as phenolic compounds. The emergence of COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, led to the pursuit of solutions for the treatment of symptoms and/or disease. Honey has proven to be effective against viral infections, principally due to its potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities that attenuate oxidative damage induced by pathogens, and by improving the immune system. Therefore, the aim of this review is to overview the abilities of honey to attenuate different COVID-19 symptoms, highlighting the mechanisms associated with these actions and relating the with the different bioactive compounds present. A brief, detailed approach to SARS-CoV-2 mechanism of action is first overviewed to allow readers a deep understanding. Additionally, the compounds and beneficial properties of honey, and its previously application in other similar diseases, are detailed in depth. Despite the already reported efficacy of honey against different viruses and their complications, further studies are urgently needed to explain the molecular mechanisms of activity against COVID-19 and, most importantly, clinical trials enrolling COVID-19 patients.

Nowadays there is a growing demand for nutraceuticals to prevent diseases related to redox imbalances, such as atherosclerosis and diabetes, being crucial to search for new matrixes rich in bioactive compounds. This work aims to characterize the value-added compounds extracted from Curcubita pepo seeds using green methodologies, namely microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), employing water as an extracting solvent for two ratios (condition 1: 1 mg/20 mL; condition 2: 2.5 mg/20 mL). The extract with the best antioxidant/antiradical activity in FRAP (71.09 μmol FSE/g DW) and DPPH (5.08 mg TE/g DW) assays was MAE condition 1, while MAE condition 2 exhibited the highest activity in the ABTS assay (13.29 mg AAE/g DW) and TPC (16.89 mg GAE/g DW). A remarkable scavenging capacity was observed, particularly for HOCl, with IC50 values ranging from 1.88–13.50 μg/mL. A total of 21 phenolic compounds were identified, being catechin (4.567–7.354 mg/g DW), caffeine (1.147–2.401 mg/g DW) and gallic acid (0.945–1.337 mg/g DW) predominant. No adverse effects were observed on Caco-2 viability after exposure to MAE extracts, while the other conditions led to a slight viability decrease in NSC-34. These results highlighted that the extract from MAE condition 2 is the most promising as a potential nutraceutical ingredient.

The scientific community is increasingly concerned about the presence of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment, which is a consequence of their high consumption and inefficient removal by wastewater-treatment plants. The search for an effective and sustainable tertiary treatment is therefore needed to enhance their removal. For this purpose, the combination of electrochemical and adsorption processes into three-dimensional (3D) electrochemical systems has been proposed. In this study, a 3D system was studied to remove carbamazepine, an antiepileptic, consumed in high doses and very persistent in the environment. The influences of the following parameters on its removal were evaluated: anode and cathode materials and distance between them, electrolyte (NaCl) concentration and pH, and the (carbon-based) adsorbent material used as the particulate electrode. The obtained results demonstrated that the introduction of the particulate electrode improved the removal efficiency. This can be attributed to the simultaneous occurrence of different phenomena, such as adsorption/electrosorption, electrocoagulation, oxidation, and catalytic degradation.

Salicornia ramosissima J.Woods is an edible halophyte, widely distributed in the Portuguese salt marsh that has been under valorized. The aim of this study is to expand the knowledge regarding S. ramosissima bioactive composition and safety, highlighting its potential use as nutraceutical ingredient. Therefore, extracts obtained by conventional (CE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) were characterized regarding phenolic profile, antioxidant activity, radical scavenging capacity and intestinal cell effects. Moreover, organic pesticides were screened to guarantee the consumers safety. The highest phenolic and flavonoid contents were observed for the CE, as well as the scavenging capacity of O2•− (IC50 = 979.36 µg/mL) and HOCl (IC50 = 90.28 µg/mL). In contrast, the best antioxidant and antiradical activities were achieved by MAE (65.56 µmol FSE/g dw and 17.74 µg AAE/g dw for FRAP and ABTS assays, respectively). The phenolic composition was similar for both extracts, being characterized by the presence of phenolic acids, flavonols, flavanols, flavones and flavanones. The predominant compound for both extracts was myricetin. None of the extracts were cytotoxic in intestinal cell lines. Vestigial levels of β-endosulfan and p,p’-DDE were identified in MAE. These results support that S. ramosissima could be a source of bioactive compounds for nutraceutic industry.

The oil industry generates great quantities of oilseed cakes that remain after oil extraction. New technologies are required for their valorization, owing to their high nutritional value. Pumpkin, flax and hemp seed cakes were extracted by subcritical water under different conditions that included different gas atmospheres and homogenous catalysis, and for the first time their properties were directly compared. Extracts obtained in a nitrogen atmosphere, nitrogen atmosphere with the addition of a catalyst, and carbon dioxide atmosphere were chemically and nutritionally characterised. In the aqueous extracts obtained under different extraction conditions, the content of lipids, proteins and selected minerals (calcium, potassium, sodium and phosphorus) were determined. A detailed amino acid profile was determined by chromatographic analysis. The highest relative content of essential amino acids was observed in pumpkin seed extracts (51.49 ± 0.47 to 58.58 ± 0.45 mg/100 g dry extract), whereas hemp seed extracts were the richest in flavour amino acids aspartic acid, glutamic acid and alanine. Extraction in a carbon dioxide atmosphere or in nitrogen atmosphere with a HCl modifier released generally more minerals into the aqueous phase. Aqueous oilseed cake extracts demonstrated a favorable chemical composition and great nutritional value, opening new possibilities for exploitation of this biowaste. Based on the obtained results, oilseed cake extracts obtained by subcritical water have great potential to be used for the fortification of different food products, as well as in cosmetics.