Unit Description

The Centro de Química-Vila Real (CQVR) is a research unit of the Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD). The great majority of members belong to the academic staff of the Chemistry Department of UTAD, although it also includes some researchers from other Departments such as Geology and Soils that share similar scientific interests. Its mission is to perform scientifically recognized research in areas involving Chemistry, to explore potential applications and to contribute to the training of young researchers. Since its foundation (2001) the CQVR has seen an increase in its members and, particularly, a noticeable enhancement of their academic qualifications. Actually we have 23 members with PhD  During the 2003-2009 period more then 25 young researchers worked in the unit for variable lengths of time. They were supported by FCT or CQVR scholarships. The research activities of the unit have been supported mainly through national and international projects from R&D funding agencies awarded to its members and in the last 5 years (2004-2008) complemented by the FCT budget. The quality of the research conducted at CQVR is reflected in more than 166 papers (2003-2008) published in international peer-review journals (frequently with an impact factor >2), with over 500 citations, one international patent and 7 national patents. The CQVR unit is organized in 3 research groups that develop fundamental and applied chemistry research in the areas of Organic Chemistry, Natural Products and Food Chemistry (9 PhDs), Materials Chemistry (7 PhDs), and Environmental Chemistry (7 PhDs).   1. Organic Chemistry, Natural Products and Food Chemistry - Synthesis and structural characterization of organic compounds with applications in photochromic devices, photodynamic therapy, affinity chromatography and pharmaceutics. - Structural characterization of new natural products isolated from plants and foods. 2. Materials Chemistry - Synthesis and characterization of ceramic materials, hybrid organic/inorganic materials and catalysts with applications in sensors, electronic devices, magneto-cooling, optics, solid state electrochemistry and chemical industry. 3. Environmental Chemistry - To study Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) to reduce the pollutant load of wastes. - To study metal-natural substrates interactions to understand the behaviour, bioavailability and ultimate fate of pollutants in the environment. - To study the influence of groundwater pollution on geochemical processes. - To study the treatment, recovery and valorisation of industrial, agricultural and agro-industrial by-products and wastes under an industrial ecology approach.