Adsorption Using Activated Carbon Produced from Agroindustrial Residues for the Treatment of Liquid Effluents

 

The daily generation of large volumes of residues from production processes and population consumption represents an important environmental, social, and economic challenge. Often, these residues are inadequately disposed of, causing soil and water pollution, in addition to contributing to public health problems.

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In the agroindustrial sector, large quantities of organic residues are generated from the processing of agricultural products, including husks, seeds, and grains. A promising alternative for the utilization of these materials consists of their transformation into activated carbon, adding value to the residues and reducing environmental impacts associated with their disposal.

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Activated carbon is a carbon-rich material that undergoes thermal treatment and activation processes, which promote the development of a highly porous structure capable of adsorbing different substances. The activation step can occur through physical processes, using gases during thermal treatment to open and expand the material's porosity, or through chemical processes, via impregnation with activating agents such as zinc chloride (ZnCl₂), phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄), potassium hydroxide (KOH), sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄), and potassium carbonate (K₂CO₃).

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Among its various applications, activated carbon stands out as an important adsorbent in water and effluent treatment, being capable of removing contaminants such as organic compounds, heavy metals, and other toxic substances present in liquid and gaseous media. The chemical contamination of water bodies by organic and inorganic pollutants, such as toxic metals, aromatic compounds, and other emerging contaminants, has driven the development of technologies capable of efficiently removing these pollutants.

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In this context, adsorption emerges as an effective technological alternative for water and effluent treatment, being widely used in industrial processes to reduce the presence of toxic compounds that negatively impact the environment.

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The main objective of this project is to study the adsorption process using activated carbon produced from agroindustrial residues, applied to the treatment of liquid effluents. As complementary objectives, it is intended to carry out the characterization of the adsorbent, evaluate its adsorption capacity, optimize the operational conditions of the process, and understand the system's behavior through mathematical modeling and simulation of the adsorption process.

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Status: Ongoing
Nature: Research

Members: Robson Costa de Sousa (Coordinator); Laryssa Donatti Soares

Associated Scientific Production: 3 outputs (Articles, Theses & Abstracts)