Remoção do analgésico paracetamol da água com a utilização de diferentes tipos de carvão ativado em pó

Abstract

Drugs are therapeutic chemicals used in human health. However, they can become toxic and resistant in the environment, such as the analgesic Paracetamol. This drug is present in effluents from domestic, industrial and hospital activities, which if launched directly into sewage collection systems and without proper treatment, promote imbalances, impacts and environmental interferences in aquatic fauna and flora. Conventional water and sewage treatment methods can not fully remove these contaminants. In view of this problem, the present study evaluated the removal of the drug Paracetamol from the water by means of the adsorption process using powdered activated charcoal (CAP), produced from babassu coconut epicarp and bovine animal bone in different dosages and times of contact. The identification of the residual concentrations was performed by High Efficiency Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). There was a significant difference between treatments, with interaction between factors. The process of paracetamol removal by adsorption with different activated carbon powder was effective, reaching a removal rate of more than 90%. Activated charcoal powder of babassu coconut powder at a concentration of 60 mg / L and in the time of 30, 180 and 240 minutes, presented the highest rates of removal; but because they do not have a statistically significant difference between them, it is recommended the time of 30 minutes, for economic reasons, with energy consumption;