Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: FRANCISCO WEDSON FAUSTINO

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : FRANCISCO WEDSON FAUSTINO
DATE: 12/07/2024
TIME: 10:00
LOCAL: Plataforma Virtual Google Meet
TITLE:

CHARACTERIZATION AND QUANTIFICATION OF MICROPLASTICS IN SLUDGE AND
ETES BIOSOLID FROM THE METROPOLITAN REGION OF CARIRI

KEY WORDS:

Emerging contaminants. Polymers. Circular Economy. Sustainability.

PAGES: 40
BIG AREA: Ciências Agrárias
AREA: Agronomia
SUMMARY:

Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) should be reconsidered as resource recovery centers, given that human waste contains valuable nutrients, metals and organic materials. However, sewage sludge, in addition to being a source of nutrients, presents environmental challenges due to the presence of contaminants, especially emerging ones such as microplastics (MPs), whose pollution has generated increasing concern. From this perspective, this study aims to quantify and characterize microplastics in STP sludge in the Metropolitan Region of Cariri, Ceará, in the context of the Brazilian Semiarid, aiming to produce insights for environmental preservation and the promotion of the Circular Economy. For this, samples of sludge from biological treatment units and dry biosolids from drying beds, stabilized with lime, were collected and subjected to microplastic extraction procedures. Confirmation was carried out by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and micro-RAMAN and visualization using a stereomicroscope and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The quantifications resulted in approximately 82.4 (Seminário), 48.4 (Flores-Pantanal), 42.4 (SB1-UASB), 37.2 (SB1- Decanter), 64.2 (SB2-UASB), 24, 6 (SB2-Decanter), 54.2 (Filemon), 83.4 (Biosolids-Filemon) and 105.2 (Biosolids-Três Marias) particles per gram of dry material. 13 different colors were identified (red, blue, black, yellow, green, white, brown, gray, orange, transparent, beige, lilac and pink). The SEM images revealed that some fibers showed fragmentation, suggesting the generation of other microplastics and possibly nanoplastics due to the rupture of larger polymers. The expected results of this dissertation project, which aims to consolidate at least two distinct scientific articles, provide a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the presence and impacts of microplastics in sewage sludge. The implications are significant for sustainable agricultural practices in semi-arid regions, as well as for the Circular Economy and the optimization of analytical processes. Each article addresses a specific aspect of the problem, contributing to a holistic and integrated view of the topic.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Interna - CELME TORRES FERREIRA DA COSTA
Presidente - FRANCISCO JOSE DE PAULA FILHO