Developing micro- and nanostructured biopolymers for drug delivery purposes. Solid experience in chromatographic, spectroscopic, thermoanalytical, and scattering techniques. Proficiency in the purification of natural products with an emphasis on biopolymers and the development of analytical methods. His PhD thesis entitled "Physical and chemical modifications of starch polymers for encapsulation of biomolecules" has been developed in collaboration with the Chemical and Biochemical Reactor Engineering and Safety (CREaS) - KU Leuven - BE.
Encapsulation of C-phycocyanin in chitosan microparticles improves thermal and storage stability for use as a natural Food colorant Paulo Vitor França Lemos, Nathalia Vieira Porphirio Veríssimo, Juliana Barone Teixeira, Henrique Rodrigues Marcelino, Guilherme Augusto Ferreira, Carolina Oliveira de Souza, Jania Betânia Alves da Silva, Thâmila Thalline Batista de Oliveira, Cristiano Luis Pinto de Oliveira, Marcia Carvalho de Abreu Fantini, Valéria de Carvalho Santos-Ebinuma Food Chemistry, 2026 C-Phycocyanin (C-PC), a blue phycobiliprotein from microalgae, is a natural antioxidant and promising food colorant, but its use is limited by poor stability to heat, light, and pH. This study reports the encapsulation of C-PC in spray-dried chitosan (CHT) microparticles to improve its resilience. The microparticles displayed an average diameter of ~3.8 μm, positive ζ-potential (> + 24 mV), and encapsulation efficiency above 36 %. Spectroscopic and thermal analyses indicated the formation of a CHT–C-PC polyelectrolyte hydrogel network, while SAXS/USAXS revealed a heterogeneous porous architecture favoring C-PC retention. Encapsulation significantly enhanced C-PC stability under acidic (pH 2), alkaline (pH 10), and thermal stress, as well as during extended light/dark storage, reducing degradation markers such as color loss, turbidity, and spectral shifts. Stability was also preserved in gelatin matrices, where free C-PC rapidly degraded. Overall, chitosan microencapsulation effectively maintains C-PC integrity, enabling its application as a natural colorant in thermally processed and storage-demanding foods. • Novel chitosan-C-phycocyanin microparticles (~3.8 μm). • First SAXS/USAXS study of chitosan microparticle hierarchical structures. • Porous architecture enables efficient C-phycocyanin storage. • Enhanced C-PC stability and enabled use in heat-processed food.
From larvae to oil: physicochemical characterization and thermo-oxidative stability of lipids extracted from Zophobas atratus Nayah Barbieri do Prado, Paulo Vitor França Lemos, Aurora Britto de Andrade, Juraci Duarte Pereira, Cristiani Viegas Brandão Grisi, Manuela Barreto Nascimento, Paulo Roberto Ribeiro Mesquita, Angela Maria Tribuzy de Magalhães Cordeiro, Alessandra de Almeida Lucas, Jania Betânia Alves da Silva, Denílson de Jesus Assis, Lucas Guimarães Cardoso, Ederlan de Souza Ferreira, Henrique Rodrigues Marcelino, Carolina Oliveira de Souza Food Chemistry, 2025
Biodegradation of Pristine and Post-Consumer Extruded Expanded Polystyrene Packaging by Zophobas atratus Larvae: Influence of the Larval Stage and Physiological Response Juraci Duarte Pereira, Jamille Santos Santana, Paulo Vitor França Lemos, Denilson de Jesus Assis, Carolina Oliveira de Souza, Lucas Guimarães Cardoso, Alessandra Almeida Lucas, Lívia Maria Garcia Gonçalves, Rita de Cássia de Oliveira Sebastião, Bárbara Darós de Lelis Ferreira, Maria Betânia de Freitas Marques, Andrea Rebouças Rocha, Renata Quartieri Nascimento, Jania Betania Alves da Silva Polymers, 2025 Plastics are inexpensive and widely used but persist in the environment due to improper disposal. Insect-mediated biodegradation has gained attention, notably involving Tenebrio molitor larvae. Despite morphological similarities and larger size, Zophobas atratus larvae remain less studied. This work evaluated the impact of larval stage on the biodegradation of pristine and post-consumer extruded polystyrene (XPS) and the physiological effects of an XPS-based diet. Smaller (L1) and larger (L2) larvae were tested. L2 showed higher XPS consumption, weight gain, and survival, while XPS-fed larvae overall exhibited reduced lipid content and increased moisture, flavonoids, and phenolics compared to wheat bran-fed controls. Scanning electron microscopy revealed surface fragmentation in frass, more pronounced in L1, suggesting greater mechanical or enzymatic action. High-performance size exclusion chromatography indicated molecular weight reduction, with L1 more effective on pristine XPS and L2 on post-consumer XPS, likely due to nutritional residues. FTIR analysis showed oxidative changes in both groups, more prominent in L1. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed earlier degradation onset in L1 frass, supporting the presence of oxidized oligomers. Overall, Z. atratus larvae can biodegrade XPS, with degradation influenced by developmental stage and substrate type. These findings inform biotechnological strategies for sustainable plastic waste management.
Advancing PHA-Based packaging: A patent and scientific landscape analysis for sustainable innovation Pietro Carlos Gonçalves Conceição, Natália Hlavnicka Miranda, Luiggi Cavalcanti Pessôa, Denilson de Jesus Assis, Jamille Santos Santana, Paulo Vitor França Lemos, Jania Betania Alves da Silva, Lucas Guimarães Cardoso, Karina Teixeira Magalhães-Guedes, Leonardo Moreira de Assunção, Carolina Oliveira de Souza World Patent Information, 2025
Encapsulation of polyketide colorants in chitosan and maltodextrin microparticles Karina Lizzeth Pedraza Galván, Nathália Vieira Porhírio Veríssismo, Jamille Santos Santana, Paulo Vitor França Lemos, Carolina Oliveira de Souza, Lucas Guimarães Cardoso, Denílson de Jesus Assis, Henrique Rodrigues Marcelino, Thâmila Thalline Batista de Oliveira, Aline Telles Camarão Biasoto, Alberto Gomes Tavares Junior, Marlus Chorilli, Valéria de Carvalho Santos-Ebinuma, Jania Betania Alves da Silva International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024
Characterization of extruded films based on poly (butylene succinate) blends to utilize a partially degraded poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) Pietro Carlos Gonçalves Conceição, Paulo Vitor França Lemos, Jamile Santos Santana, Paulo Romano Cruz Correia, Lucas Guimarães Cardoso, Denílson de Jesus Assis, Lucimar Pacheco Gomes da Rocha, Henrique Rodrigues Marcelino, Ederlan de Souza Ferreira, Jania Betânia Alves da Silva, Carolina Oliveira de Souza Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2024 Polymer blends can improve material processability and can be used to extrude partially degraded materials, such as expired poly (butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT), which cannot be normally extruded. Therefore, in this study, the extrudability of PBAT that has passed its expiration date was restored by blending it with poly (butylene succinate) (PBS). Various polymer blends were extruded and characterized to achieve high‐efficiency extrusion. The carbonyl indices in partially degraded PBAT and the corresponding control sample detailed the effects of 98 months of aging on molecular properties. The semicrystalline structure consisted of a mixed ordered arrangement of PBS and PBAT chains dispersed in an amorphous matrix. The microscopic images of the surfaces of the polymer films revealed defects and roughness, followed by an increase in the PBAT concentration in blends. Changes in mechanical properties and water vapor permeability correlated with the PBAT concentration in the blends. To avoid polymer loss, we reported a simple method for using PBAT that has passed its expiration date and cannot be extruded. The results revealed that the polymer films could be used in the packaging industry, especially in food and agricultural sectors.
Insect residues as an alternative and promising source for the extraction of chitin and chitosan Sinara Silva Neves Machado, Jania Betânia Alves da Silva, Renata Quartieri Nascimento, Paulo Vitor França Lemos, Denílson de Jesus Assis, Henrique Rodrigues Marcelino, Ederlan de Souza Ferreira, Lucas Guimarães Cardoso, Juraci Duarte Pereira, Jamille Santos Santana, Maria Luiza Andrade da Silva, Carolina Oliveira de Souza International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024
Impact of ionic liquid's cation alkyl chain length and reaction time on cellulose nanocrystals preparation Jania Betania Alves da Silva, Suellen Rocha Vieira, Luiggi Cavalcanti Pessôa, Jamille Santos Santana, Paulo Vitor França Lemos, Carolina Oliveira de Souza, Lucas Guimarães Cardoso, Denílson de Jesus Assis, Cassamo Ussemane Mussagy, Valéria Carvalho Santos‑Ebinuma Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications, 2023 Traditional methods to obtain nanocellulose crystals typically involve mechanical and chemical processes and develop an improved process in terms of efficiency, sustainability, and the quality of CNCs produced are interesting. In this sense, we aimed to prepare cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from the hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose using protic ionic liquids (PILs), named 3-diethylamino-propylammonium hexanoate ([DEAPA][Hex]), 3-dimethylamino- 1-propylammonium hexanoate ([DMAPA][Hex]), and propylammonium hexanoate ([PA][Hex]) at different reaction times. The PILs demonstrated efficiency in producing cellulose nanocrystals, regardless of the cation size and reaction times. However, as expected the properties of the CNCs varied depending on the studied condition. The highest yield was observed in DMAPA[Hex], with a 34% conversion. Crystalline indices decreased independent of the cation sizes and reaction times. Thermal stabilities were shifted to higher temperatures up to 92 ºC probably due to PILs cation sizes. In contrast, increasing reaction times decreased nanocrystals’ thermal stabilities up to 51ºC. So, protic ionic liquids (PILs) can be considered more environmentally friendly or sustainable solvents compared to traditional organic solvents for preparing cellulose nanocrystals. In the present work, it is reported an alternative method for obtaining CNCs and additionally provide the best preparation conditions for achieving important properties of this nanomaterial, with the potential for various applications.
Utilization of Agro-Industrial Residues in the Rearing and Nutritional Enrichment of Zophobas atratus Larvae: New Food Raw Materials Renata Quartieri Nascimento, Cláudio Vaz Di Mambro Ribeiro, Nelson Barros Colauto, Larissa da Silva, Paulo Vitor França Lemos, Ederlan de Souza Ferreira, Giani Andrea Linde, Bruna Aparecida Souza Machado, Pedro Paulo Lordelo Guimarães Tavares, Aline Camarão Telles Biasoto, Marcelo Andres Umsza Guez, Natália Carvalho, Denílson de Jesus Assis, Jania Betânia Alves da Silva, Carolina Oliveira de Souza Molecules, 2022
Cellulose Nanoparticles Prepared by Ionic Liquid-Assisted Method Improve the Properties of Bionanocomposite Films Suellen Rocha Vieira, Jania Betânia Alves da Silva, Janice Izabel Druzian, Denílson de Jesus Assis, Cassamo Ussemane Mussagy, Jorge Fernando Brandão Pereira, Valéria Carvalho Santos-Ebinuma, Paulo Vitor França Lemos, Paulo Romano Correia, Ederlan de Souza Ferreira, Carolina Oliveira de Souza Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 2022
Tribological performances of cellulose nanocrystals in water-based lubricating fluid Pollyana Grazielle Luz Da Rocha, Matheus Gonçalves Leão De Oliveira, Paulo Vitor França Lemos, Larissa Alves De Sousa Costa, Lucimar Pacheco Gomes Da Rocha, Adelson Ribeiro De Almeida Júnior, Jania Betania Alves Da Silva Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2022
Development of arrowroot flour fermented by kefir grains Beatriz Lourdes de Souza, Karina Teixeira Magalhães‐Guedes, Paulo Vitor França Lemos, Leonardo Fonseca Maciel, Disney Ribeiro Dias, Janice Izabel Druzian, Rosane Freitas Schwan Journal of Food Science, 2020
