Tratamento de efluente industrial de fecularia utilizando macrófita aquática Eichhornia crassipes e coagulante natural

Abstract

The cassava processing industry, especially potato starch, have a high pollution potential due to the release of their effluents on aquatic ecosystems. Among the main characteristics of this effluent highlights the high organic load and the presence of cyanide ion. The treatment of wastewater from potato starch has been done predominantly by treatment ponds. However, this type of system has limitations for wastewater treatment with the presence of cyanide. The cyanide ion is toxic to micro-organisms, and at certain concentrations the effect is significant, compromising both the removal of cyanide itself as other biodegradable compounds. In this context the present study evaluated the efficiency of starch factory effluent treatment by coagulation / flocculation, employing for that seed extracts of Moringa oleifera (M.O.) as a natural coagulant, as well as the use of the aquatic macrophyte Eichhornia crassipes as natural adsorbent. In the first stage of treatment, represented by the tests of coagulation/flocculation was used the methodology of experimental planning Central Composite Rotatable Design (DCCR). The variables studied were of the M.O. and concentration of salt solution of sodium chloride (NaCl). The test conditions were the following: fast mixing speed (VMR) of 100 rpm, mixing time (TMR) of 2 min; slow speed mixing (VML) of 20 rpm, mixing time (TML) 10 min, the settling time was 60 min. The response variables analyzed in this phase were: turbidity and color, COD and cyanide ion. The operating conditions were optimized: concentration M.O. of 2484 mg L-1 and salt concentration of 0.9 mol L-1. Under these conditions it was possible to remove 89.16% of Turbidity, 54.43% of apparent color, 66.39% of COD and 9.9% of cyanide ion. Given the low efficiency of removal of cyanide ion by coagulation is started for a subsequent treatment. For this, we adopted a treatment by batch adsorption using dry biomass of the aquatic macrophyte Eichhornia crassipes as an adsorbent. For the purpose of a further investigation was used a synthetic solution cyanide (NaCN solution). The best operating conditions of pH, adsorbent dosage and contact time were 2.0, 2.0 g L-1 and 20 min, respectively. By simulating a test combined coagulation/flocculation/adsorption with the effluent of cassava industry to greater removal of cyanide ion fit the sample with pH adjustment (2.0), removing around 31%, proving the thesis of the preliminary tests indicated for tests with a solution of sodium cyanide.