ABSTRACT The textile industries are responsible for generating large volumes of effluents containing toxic dyes, harmful to ecosystems if disposed of without prior treatment. The adsorption process stands out due to its simplicity and efficiency in removing a wide variety of contaminants present in effluents, also, it allows the use of residual biomass from agriculture. The soybean hull is a by-product of wide available but made used only for animal feed. Thus, the present study aimed to characterize and evaluate the soybean husk as a biosorbent of the 5G blue reactive dye, widely used in the dyeing processes of the textile industries. The soybean hull was characterized by SEM and FTIR. Kinetic and equilibrium tests were carried out under conditions of pH 2, 40 ºC, and 90 rpm. Besides, kinetic and equilibrium mathematical models previously described in the literature were adjusted to the experimental data. Through the morphological characterization of the biosorbent, it was possible to evidence superficial pores in practically all their extension, a characteristic that directly influences the adsorption process. The analysis of FTIR showed, as expected, the presence of functional groups characteristic of lignocellulosic substances. Besides, the results obtained in the kinetic and equilibrium essays in the studied conditions show that the adsorption equilibrium was obtained in about 120 min, with the removal of 88% of the dye. The mathematical modeling indicated that the pseudo-second order and Sips models were the most adequate to represent the kinetic and equilibrium experimental data, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacities calculated experimentally and predicted by the Sips model were 53.33 and 48.13 mg g-1, respectively. In general, the biosorbent studied was effective to remove the reactive dye.

RESUMO Os resíduos de serviços de saúde (RSS) são todos aqueles resíduos gerados nos serviços que prestam atendimento à saúde humana ou animal. Os RSS são classificados em cinco grupos (Grupo A, Grupo B, Grupo C, Grupo D e Grupo E), dos quais uma parcela apresenta periculosidade. A legislação brasileira recomenda que os resíduos pertencentes ao Grupo D sejam reciclados. Contudo, com base na má segregação existente, o encaminhamento desses materiais representa riscos aos profissionais que manejam os resíduos intra e extraestabelecimentos de saúde, incluindo os trabalhadores que atuam junto às cooperativas de triagem de materiais recicláveis. Nesse contexto, este trabalho teve como objetivo verificar a presença de RSS destinados inadequadamente às cooperativas de triagem de materiais recicláveis de um município da zona Sul do Rio Grande do Sul. Para tanto, foi realizada uma caracterização quali-quantitativa dos RSS incidentes nas cinco cooperativas do município durante o período de quatro semanas. A partir dos resultados obtidos, verificou-se a presença de RSS no programa de coleta seletiva (PCS) municipal e, também, que a quantidade incidente varia conforme a cooperativa estudada e a semana avaliada. Ao final das caracterizações, foram quantificados 36,23 kg de RSS entre todas as cooperativas. Tais resultados indicam falhas na segregação e na destinação de RSS, seja pela população e/ou pelos estabelecimentos de saúde, além de evidenciarem a fragilidade existente no PCS do município. À vista disso, torna-se necessária a implementação de políticas públicas, tanto educativas quanto de fiscalização, que sejam capazes de assegurar maior segurança no âmbito de trabalho das cooperativas de triagem de materiais recicláveis.

ABSTRACT Healthcare waste (HCW) is all the waste generated by human or animal health care activities. HCW is classified into five groups, of which a portion presents hazardousness. Brazilian legislation recommends that waste belonging to Group D be recycled. However, based on the poor existing waste segregation, the forwarding of these materials presents risks to the professionals who handle them inside and out of health care facilities, including the workers within recyclable material waste picker cooperatives. In such a context, this study aimed to investigate the presence of HCW inappropriately sent to waste pickers cooperatives of a municipality in the south of Rio Grande do Sul. To this end, a qualitative and quantitative characterization of HCW incidence in the five cooperatives of the municipality was performed during the period of four weeks. From the results obtained, it was possible to verify the presence of HCW in the municipal selective waste collection program and that HCW quantities vary according to the waste pickers cooperative studied and the week being evaluated. At the end of the characterizations, 36.23 kg of HCW were quantified amongst all the cooperatives. Such results indicate flaws in HCW segregation and destination, either by the population and/or by health care facilities, in addition to showing the fragility in the municipality’s selective waste collection program. In view of this, it is necessary to implement public policies, both educational and supervisory, that can ensure greater safety in the work environment of recyclable material waste picker cooperatives.

Resumo Os resíduos de serviços de saúde (RSS) causam impacto à saúde pública e ao meio ambiente quando gerenciados de maneira inadequada. A falta de conhecimento sobre os riscos desses resíduos pelos profissionais da área da saúde e pela população acarretam na destinação incorreta dos mesmos, os quais acabam sendo encaminhados para o programa de coleta seletiva e, posteriormente, às cooperativas de materiais recicláveis. Diante disso, o estudo objetivou analisar as rotas percorridas pelo caminhão da coleta seletiva do Município de Pelotas/RS nas zonas de abrangência do programa e identificar os tipos de fontes geradoras de RSS que se encontram nessas rotas. Por tratar-se de uma pesquisa exploratória, utilizaram-se as ferramentas do Sistema de Informação Geográfica (SIG), que permitem a realização de análises espaciais e geração de informações através de mapas. Foi possível identificar em uma zona 99 estabelecimentos de saúde e, na outra, 15, sendo que esses reúnem tanto atendimento à saúde humana quanto à saúde animal. A presença de RSS em meio a resíduos recicláveis evidencia a necessidade de maiores ações educativas e fiscalizatórias, sendo que, para este último, o SIG pode ser utilizado como uma ferramenta auxiliar.

Summary Healthcare waste (HCW) impacts public health and the environment when inadequately managed. The lack of knowledge about the risks of such waste by health professionals and by the population leads to the incorrect destination of the waste. It ends up being sent to the selective collection program and, later, to cooperatives of recyclable materials. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the routes traveled by the selective collection truck of Pelotas/RS in the areas covered by the program to identify the types of HCW generating sources that can be found on these routes. Because this is an exploratory research, we used tools of the Geographic Information System (GIS). It enables the user to perform spatial analysis and data generation through maps. It was possible to identify in one zone 99 health establishments; and, in another, 15 establishments, which refers to both human and animal healthcare. The presence of HWC in recyclable waste evidences the need for greater educational and enforcement actions, and for this last one, GIS can be used as an auxiliary tool.