A finalidade deste estudo foi caracterizar os óleos extraídos das sementes de limão rosa e limão siciliano, como aproveitamento de resíduos industriais. Foram determinados os índices de iodo, ácidos graxos livres (AGL,% em ácido oléico) e teor de peróxidos. Foram realizadas análises termoanalíticas (termogravimetria, TG; termogravimetria diferencial, DTG e calorimetria diferencial exploratória, DSC); espectroscópicas (infravermelho e ultravioleta) e cromatográficas (cromatografia gasosa). Foram identificados no óleo das sementes de limão rosa os seguintes ácidos graxos na forma de ésteres metílicos: caprílico (0,90%), palmítico (21,40%), esteárico (2,60%), oléico (21,20%), linoléico (43,00%), linolênico (7,60%) e araquídico (0,20%) e no óleo das sementes de limão siciliano: caprílico (1,00%), mirístico (0,10%), palmítico (19,60%), esteárico (3,00%), oléico (28,60%), linoléico (34,40%), linolênico (10,00%) e araquídico (0,20%). Os resultados indicaram que ambos os óleos apresentam estabilidade térmica até 250ºC, composição química semelhante e alto teor de ácidos graxos insaturados (71,80 e 73,00%). Pela composição de ácidos graxos também foi possível determinar a provável composição em triacilgliceróis dos óleos. Os resultados mostraram que os óleos apresentam características semelhantes a óleos comestíveis de boa qualidade.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the oil extracted from rangpur lime and "Sicilian" lemon seeds. Iodine, peroxide values, as well as free fatty acid percent (FFA%) expressed as oleic acid were accomplished. The thermal gravimetric analysis, TG; differential thermal gravimetric, DTG; differential scanning calorimetry analysis, DSC; infrared and ultraviolet spectroscopic and gas chromatographic analysis were also determined. In the rangpur lime seed oil, the following fatty acids, as methyl esters were identified: caprilic (0,90%), palmitic (21,40%), stearic (2,60%), oleic (21,20%), linoleic (43,00%), linolenic (7,60%) and araquidic (0,20%) and in the Sicilian lemon seed oil: caprilic (1,00%), myristic (0,10%), palmitic (19,60%), stearic (3,00%), oleic (28,60%), linoleic (34,40%), linolenic (10,00%) and araquidic (0,20%). The results indicate that both oils present thermal stability until 250ºC, as well as analogous chemical composition and high contents of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA, 71,80 and 73,00%). With the fatty acid composition, it was possible to determine the triacylglycerol composition of both oils. The results indicated that the oils show characteristics analogous to the edible oils with good quality.

In this study the efficiency of advanced oxidative processes (AOPs) were investigated toward the degradation of aqueous solutions containing benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX). The results indicated that BTX can be effectively oxidized by the UV-A-assisted photo-Fenton process. The treatment permits almost total degradation of BTX and removal of more than 80% of the phenolyc intermediates at reaction times of about 30 min. Preliminary investigations using solar light suggest a good potentiality of the process for the treatment of large volumes of aqueous samples containing these polluting species.

After decades of polluting actions the environment manifests serious and global consequences. The contamination of soils and groundwater by organic compounds is a widespread problem mainly on account of contamination by leakage from underground storage tanks, which often results in the release of gasoline or other chemicals. The main problem about groundwater contamination is due to the toxicity of water-soluble components such as benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX). In the present work a study about classical and modern methods for remediation of BTX is reported.