{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]],"date-time":"2026-03-31T09:58:29Z","timestamp":1774951109164,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":59,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]],"date-time":"2026-03-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774396800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia\n              https:\/\/ror.org\/00snfqn58","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2021.08843.BD (DOI 10.54499\/2021.08843.BD)"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2021.08843.BD (DOI 10.54499\/2021.08843.BD)"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Resources"],"abstract":"<jats:p>A characterization study of two by-products from the cork stopper industry was conducted to assess their suitability as components of growing media (substrate). Granulate of natural cork stopper (GNCS) and granulate of technical cork stopper (GTCS) were studied, evaluating their chemical composition, fractionation, effects on physical and chemical properties, mineral elements, and phytotoxicity. The two by-products were granulometrically classified into four categories: very fine fractions (\u22641 mm), fine fractions (&gt;1 and \u22642 mm), intermediate fractions (&gt;2 and \u22645 mm), and coarse fractions (&gt;5 and \u226410 mm). The highest proportion of granulates was observed within the intermediate fraction (&gt;2 and \u22645 mm). GTCS presented significant limitations regarding the assessed properties, while the very fine fractions (\u22641 mm) were the most attractive in both granulates. Therefore, selecting raw materials and their fractionation are vital for predicting the performance of growing media and establishing their suitability for promoting plant growth and productivity. Thus, these two by-products of the cork stopper industry have desirable characteristics as components of growing media.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/resources15040049","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]],"date-time":"2026-03-25T10:07:13Z","timestamp":1774433233000},"page":"49","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Used Cork Stoppers: A New Recycled Raw Material for the Growing Media Industry"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Daniela","family":"Freitas","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Associate Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"Forest Research Centre (CEF), Associate Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7914-620X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Henrique","family":"Ribeiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Associate Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Miguel","family":"Cabral","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Amorin Cork, S.A., R dos Corticeiros, 850, 4535-387 Santa Maria de Lamas, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3419-6075","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jorge","family":"Gominho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Forest Research Centre (CEF), Associate Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"245","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biotno.2025.10.005","article-title":"Circular economy through integrated industrial ecology: Innovations in resource recovery and process redesign","volume":"6","author":"Geetha","year":"2025","journal-title":"Biotech. 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