Andreia Farinha, Ph.D.

Research Scientists

Research scientist

Social Profile:

Research Interests

Andreia’s main scientific interests are focused on the development of new methods for water characterization and treatment. She aims to develop new green solvents; concepts for cleaning desalination membranes; methods to characterize and recover trace metals from water.

Selected Publications

  • Structural properties and stability of the Betaine-Urea natural deep eutectic solvent, Nava-Ocampo, M. F., Al Fuhaid, L., Santana, A., Bucs, S. S. Verpoorte, R., Hae Choi, Y., Witkamp, G. J., Vrouwenvelder, J. S., Farinha, A. S. F., Journal of Molecular Liquids”, 117655 (2021)
  • Natural deep eutectic solvents as biofilm structural breakers, Nava-Ocampo, M. F., Al Fuhaid, L., Verpoorte, R., Hae Choi, Y., van Loosdrecht, M. C. M., Vrouwenvelder, J. S., Witkamp, G. J., Farinha, A. S. F., Bucs, S. S., Water Research, 201, 117323 (2021)
  • Clinical Autopsy of a Reverse Osmosis Membrane Module, Gonzalez-Gil, G., Behzad, A.R., Farinha, A. S. F., Zhao, C., Bucs, S. S., Buijs, P., Vrouwenvelder, J. S., Front. Chem. Eng., 3, 683379 (2021)
  • Phthalocyanine- Functionalized Magnetic Silica Nanoparticles as Anion Chemosensors, Rodrigues, J. M. M., Farinha, A. S. F., Lin, Z., Cavaleiro, J. A. S., Tomé, A. C., Tomé J. P. C. Sensors, 21, 1632 (2021)
  • A first‐principles approach for treating wastewaters, Santana, A., Farinha, A. S. F., Torano, A., Ibrahim, M., Mishra, H. Int J Quantum Chem, 121, 26501 (2021)
  • Sacrificial coating development for biofouling control in membrane systems, Nava-Ocampo, M. F., Bucs, S. S., Farinha, A. S. F., Son, M., Logan, B. E., Vrouwenvelder, J. S., Desalination, 496, 114650 (2020)
  • Fouling investigation of a full-scale seawater reverse osmosis desalination (SWRO) plant on the Red Sea: Membrane autopsy and pretreatment efficiency, Fortunato, L., Alshahri, A. H., Farinha, A. S. F., Zakzouk, I., Jeong, S., Leiknes, T., Desalination, 496, 114536 (2020)
  • Superhydrophobicity and size reduction enabled insects to colonize the open ocean, Mahadik, G. A., Hernandez-Sanchez, J. F., Arunachalam, S., Gallo Jr, A., Cheng, L., Farinha, A. S. F., Thoroddsen, S. T., Mishra, H., Duarte, C. M. Scientific Reports, 10, 7785 (2020)

Education

  • Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal, 2010
  • B.S., Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Lisbon, 2005

Professional Profile

  • 2022 to present: Research Scientist, KAUST, Saudi Arabia
  • 2020- present: Staff Scientist, KAUST, Saudi Arabia
  • 2016-2020: Trace Organic Specialist, KAUST, Saudi Arabia
  • 2015-​2016: Postdoctoral Fellow, KAUST, Saudi Arabia
  • 2011-2015: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal​

Scientific and Professional Membership

  • ​Since 2007 - Sociedade Portuguesa de Química (Society Portuguese of Chemistry)
  • Since 2009 - Society of Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines

Awards

  • 2017 and 2016 - Nominated for the Safety Awards, KAUST
  • 2017 - Nominated for Service Excellence Award, KAUST
  • 2010 - Award a Post-doctoral Fellowship (SFRH/BPD/73060/2010)
  • 2005 - Award a Ph.D. Fellowship (SFRH/BD/32219/2006) 
  • 2005 - Best Poster Award – Glupor 6 (Portuguese Society of Chemistry (SPQ)

KAUST Affiliations

  • ​Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC)
  • Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE)​

Research Interests Keywords

Green solvents Water Treatment Trace metal Liquid membranes ​NADES