Cellulose Acetate Textile Fiber Filtration System Applied for Pre-Treatment of Surface Water

This study aimed to evaluate a nonwoven (NW) production and performance from cellulose acetate fiber from cigarette butts andapplied to a filtration system for surface water pre-treatment. The system had a surface area of 692 cm³, cellulose acetate from cigarette butt as filter media, was used and was fed with surface water from a pond. In order to evaluate the treatment performance of the filtration system were evaluated in the raw water (RW) and the filtered water (FW) the classical parameter of water quality as turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), apparent color, true color, and total organic carbon (TOC) and heavy metals (iron, copper, and cadmium). Moreover, the presence of nicotine was investigated in the FW. The results showed a mean removal efficiency in order to 62.01%, 54.42%, 50.36 %, 6.73%, and 5.20% for turbidity, TSS, apparent color, true color, and TOC, respectively. The removal of metals varied in the order of 72.26%, 9.61%, and 2.12% for cadmium, iron, and copper, respectively. The presence of nicotine in RW and FW was not identified. In this way, besides reducing the negative environmental impacts caused by cigarette butts present in the environment, the developed technology showed potential for removing pollutants present in surface waters.

Effects of the transfer of the São Francisco River waters on the performance of the water treatment plant of Gravatá, Paraíba, Brazil

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the transfer of the São Francisco River waters on the quality of the water produced by water treatment plant of Gravatá (WTP-Gravatá) using multivariate statistics. Monthly means of the variables pH, apparent color and turbidity of raw, decanted and treated waters were used, in addition to the volume accumulated by the Epitácio Pessoa reservoir, during the period from January 2016 to December 2017. The arrival of the transposition waters abruptly changed the apparent color and turbidity of the raw water. In spite of that, the treated water presented low variability of the mentioned parameters, indicating that the WTP-Gravatá was able to adapt its treatment. From the factor analysis/principal component analysis (FA/PCA) it was found that changes in reservoir volume alter the apparent color and turbidity of the raw water, requiring interventions in the coagulation/flocculation/decantation stages. The increasing of these parameters in the decanted water overloads the filtration step, raising the apparent color of the treated water. The cluster analysis distinguished the different phases experienced by the Epitácio Pessoa reservoir. The information obtained can help decision making in WTPs, considering changes in reservoir volumes.

The first floristic study of freshwater dinoflagellates (Dinophyceae) in Colombia

The first comprehensive study of dinoflagellate flora and their related environmental variables in reservoirs, swamps, and an insular lake of Colombia is presented. Fourteen Colombian water bodies were assessed. In each, water temperature, electric conductivity, oxygen saturation, turbidity, and apparent color were the physical and chemical variables measured. Twelve dinoflagellate taxa were recorded, indicating a considerable richness compared to similar surveys. Ensembles recovered showed a spatial structuration mediated by the type of the water bodies (reservoirs and swamps); environmental variables and species richness explained equally the differences among the water bodies. The dinoflagellate flora showed altitudinal segregation, with intermediate altitude systems displaying the highest richness values. A brief discussion about the geographical distribution of the species collected is offered. The study contributes to the knowledge of the ecological aspects of dinoflagellate flora and outlines preliminary biodiversity tendencies of ensembles in tropical water systems.

Inverse Margin Filtration Applied for Surface Water Treatment

Technologies to be applied under the context of protection and revitalization of surface water must be developed and improved in order to enhance the quality of aquatic ecosystems. In this way, this study aimed to evaluate the treatment performance of an inverse margin filtration system (IMF) applied in surface water treatment. The IMF was monitored during 1 year through the classic water quality parameters, and thus the treatment performance along the filtration path was identified. The results showed an average removal efficiency of 41% for turbidity, 35% for apparent color, 43% for true color, 26% for total suspended solids and total organic carbon, 53% for nitrogen, 46% for phosphorus, 91% for iron, 8% for manganese, and 100% for fecal coliforms. In this way, the IMF system proved to be a technology that can be applied in the treatment of water in lentic environments.

Development of a Water Quality Index (WQI) for public supply in the Vale do Rio Pardo region, RS, Brazil

This research developed a Water Quality Index (WQI) for public supply in the Vale do Rio Pardo Region, RS, Brazil (WQI-VRP), from the database of the 13th Regional Health Coordination, totaling 1175 samples. A filtration process resulted in 285 samples with the variables free residual chlorine, turbidity, apparent color, pH, fluoride, total coliforms and Escherichia coli. For water consumption purposes, the Water Quality Index developed by the Sanitation Company of Goiás, Brazil, was used. A multivariate calibration of the weights of importance of the parameters included in the original index was performed, resulting in the WQI-VRP. Comparing the medians of the two indexes, it was found that there were significant differences (p<0.05), qualifying the WQI-VRP as more restrictive. The results indicated that 89.8% of the samples were classified as non-compliant samples by WQI-VRP, while 10.2% were classified as compliant samples. Of the 285 samples analyzed, 72 samples of chlorine, 12 of total coliform, 5 of E. coli, 2 of color, 200 of fluoride and 26 of pH, were below or above the minimum or maximum values required by Brazilian legislation. The pH and fluoride correspond to the critical variables of the study region, as they were the parameters that showed the greatest increases in relative weights when comparing the original index with the calibrated one. These results confirm the use of the WQI-VRP as an efficient tool to assess the quality of drinking water in Brazilian subtropical and temperate lotic systems.

APPLICATION OF DOSES OF FREEZE-DRIED EXTRACT FROM MORINGA OLEIFERA SEEDS IN WATER TREATMENT

Despite the proven performance and cost-effectiveness of chemical coagulants, natural coagulants are being studied. Among them, Moringa oleifera has been investigated more intensively as it contains proteins that are efficient in the alternative treatment of water for human consumption. The objective of the research was to use water with pH, turbidity and apparent color with levels above that allowed by Brazilian legislation and to treat it with freeze-dried extract of moringa seeds in different doses, selecting the best one for each parameter studied. The study was conducted at the Laboratory for Processing and Storing of Agricultural Products, at the Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande, PB, Brazil. The extract was obtained as a result of the freeze-drying method. Three water quality parameters were evaluated: pH, turbidity and apparent color. Doses of 12, 16, 18 and 24 g/500 mL of freeze-dried extract of moringa seeds were used. Jar tests were performed at 160 rpm. The application of different doses of the freeze-dried extract resulted in pH according to the limits required by Brazilian legislation for drinking water. Based on the best efficiencies in pH, reduction of turbidity and color, doses of 24 g/500 mL were selected for pH and turbidity and 16 g/500 mL g for the apparent color.

Análise da potabilidade da água em poços rasos no município de Caiçara no Rio Grande do Sul

The objective of this work was to evaluate water quality and environmental impacts in shallow wells in rural properties of Caiçara - RS. The physicochemical and microbiological analyzes were performed between September 2017 and March 2018 in three rural properties, in addition to macroscopic evaluation. According to the results obtained, variables such as nitrate, total iron, pH, apparent color and turbidity are in disagreement with the water potability legislation, Consolidation Ordinance No. 5 (2007). In addition, all water samples showed total coliforms and Escherichia coli. The conservation of shallow wells was rated as reasonable or poor. From the monitoring carried out, environmental changes can be noticed, such as the lack of protection in the place and the degradation of the vegetation caused mainly by the inadequate use and occupation of the soil. This reflects the microbiological variables that contaminate drinking water, causing potential health problems for residents of the properties. These characteristics point to the importance of actions to protect and preserve water sources, not disrespecting the socioeconomic aspects of the region, based on incentives and instructions to landowners who have shallow wells for human consumption.