Tetracycline is used to treat various diseases in animals and humans, so its high use causes this substance to be frequently found in effluents and in potable water reservoirs, causing serious problems for human health and the environment. Many processes are applied and evaluated in an attempt to removal tetracycline found in environment, such as adsorption. The application of iron-carbon nanoparticles with core-shell structure (Fe3O4@C) as adsorbent, can be an alternative to removal of these contaminants. In the present study Fe3O4@C nanoparticles were synthesized and used to adsorb tetracycline in aqueous solutions. The core-shell characterization was performed using X-ray diffraction techniques, infrared spectroscopy, surface area, chemical analysis and morphology, and adsorption capacity through isotherms. The results indicated that Fe3O4@C nanoparticles presented good tetracycline removal capability, 73.3%, when applied an initial concentration of antibiotic of the 30 mg L-1 and 0.5 g of adsorbent.

Avaliou-se a multiplicação de Listeria monocytogenes em nata, um derivado lácteo com alto teor de gordura, bem como a atividade antilisteria do Biomax D® neste alimento. A atividade antilisteria do Biomax foi comparada com a da nisina. Foram utilizados seis tratamentos: T1: nata + 10² UFC.g-1 de L. monocytogenes; T2: nata + 10² UFC.g-1 de L. monocytogenes + 2,5ppm de nisina; T3: nata + 10² UFC.g-1 de L. monocytogenes + 1,5% de Biomax; T4: nata + de 10(5) UFC.g-1 de L. monocytogenes; T5: nata + de 10(5) UFC.g-1 de L. monocytogenes + 2,5ppm de nisina; T6: nata + de 10(5) UFC.g-1 de L. monocytogenes + 1,5% de Biomax. A contagem de L. monocytogenes foi realizada em três tempos de armazenamento a 8°C (zero, 6º, 14° e 20° dia), com médias variando entre 2 e 10 log UFC.g-1 nos tratamentos sem adição de nisina e Biomax, entretanto, houve eliminação do micro-organismo nos tratamentos adicionados dos antimicrobianos. Verificou-se que L. monocytogenes se desenvolve em nata, podendo atingir elevados níveis de contaminação, mesmo quando apresentava baixas contagens iniciais. Além disso, observou-se que Biomax possui atividade antilisteria semelhante à nisina neste derivado lácteo, apresentando potencial para ser utilizado como antimicrobiano natural para o controle de L. monocytogenes em alimentos gordurosos.

The proliferation of Listeria monocytogenes in cream, a milk derivative with high fat content, was evaluated as well as the anti-listerial activity of Biomax D® in this type of food. Antilisterial activity of Biomax was compared with nisin. Six treatments were used: T1: Cream + 10² CFU.g-1 of L. monocytogenes; T2: Cream + 10² CFU.g-1 L. monocytogenes + 2,5ppm nisin; T3: Cream + 10² CFU.g-1 L. monocytogenes + 1.5% Biomax; T4: Cream + 10(5) CFU.g-1 of L. monocytogenes; T5: Cream + 10(5) CFU.g-1 L. monocytogenes + 2,5ppm nisin; T6: Cream + 10(5) CFU.g-1 L. monocytogenes + 1.5% Biomax. L. monocytogenes counts were performed on three days storage at 8 °C (zero, 6, 14 and 20th day), with averages ranging between 2 and 10 log CFU.g-1 in treatments without the addition of nisin or Biomax®. However, there was elimination of the microorganism when the antimicrobials were added. It was found that L. monocytogenes is able to grow in cream, reaching high levels of contamination, even when it presents low initial counts. In this dairy derivative, Biomax D® presents antilisterial activity similar to nisin and might be used as a natural antibiotic for the control of L. monocytogenes in fatty foods.

RESUMO Neste estudo foram realizadas as cinéticas e isotermas de adsorção dos íons Fe (III) presentes em afluentes sintéticos utilizando como adsorvente carvão ativado de casca de coco. O objetivo foi a obtenção dos parâmetros cinéticos e de equilíbrio do processo para assim simular diferentes condições operacionais em uma coluna de adsorção em leito fixo. Foram avaliadas a influência de três diferentes temperaturas na adsorção de Fe (III), sendo que o aumento da temperatura indicou adsorção exotérmica. A isoterma de Freundlich representou melhor os dados experimentais. Também foi realizado o estudo cinético e o modelo que apresentou melhor os dados experimentais foi o modelo de Pseudo-Primeira Ordem para as três concentrações estudadas. O método de Volumes Finitos foi utilizado na discretização das equações matemáticas e um algoritmo computacional foi implementado em linguagem FORTRAN. O código computacional foi validado com dados experimentais encontrados na literatura (erro máximo de 6,2%) podendo-se assim simular diferentes condições operacionais do sistema de adsorção com aplicação na indústria alimentícia.

ABSTRACT In this study were performed the kinetics and isotherms of adsorption of the ions Fe (III) from synthetic affluent using activated carbon from coconut shell as adsorbent. The objective was to obtain the equilibrium and kinetic parameters of the process and thereby simulating different operating conditions in a adsorption column fixed bed. It was evaluated the influence of three temperatures different on the adsorption of Fe (III), in which the temperature increase indicated adsorption exotherm. The Freundlich isotherm showed the best fit to the experimental data. At the kinetic study the model that best fit to the experimental data was the model Pseudo-First Order for the three concentrations studied. The finite volume method was used for discretization of the mathematical equations and a computational algorithm was implemented in FORTRAN. The computational code was validated with experimental data found in the literature (maximum error of 6.2%) can thus simulate different operating conditions of the system.