Utilização de biopolímero no tratamento de efluentes da indústria de papel e celulose por Processo Oxidativo Avançado

The pulp and paper industry produces a high volume of effluents, which usually have high color value and organic matter concentration. Most components of the effluent are difficult to dispose of using conventional wastewater treatment processes. Thus it is necessary to explore alternatives that improve the effluent quality and minimize the environmental impact associated with its disposal. Among these alternatives, the Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) have been highlighted because they are destructive and nonselective processes of pollutant removal. Among the AOP, the photo-Fenton process has received attention due to its high efficiency and operational simplicity. The present study aimed to evaluate the photo-Fenton process efficiency using Fe2+ beads immobilized on chitosan as a catalyst in the polishing of effluent from a pulp and paper industry, as well as the reusability of the catalyst material. The process was carried out in a bench-top photochemical reactor with 250 mL of effluent (pH 7), 2.0 g of chitosan beads with Fe2+ (CBFe), and 400 mg/L of H2O2. The parameters evaluated after 90 min of treatment were: turbidity, color, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total phenols. The results showed that turbidity, color, COD, and total phenols were reduced by 59.0%, 99.6%, 74.9%, and 87.2%, respectively. The analysis also showed that the iron remained absorbed in the matrix, which allowed the reuse of CBFe over six cycles without losing efficiency of degradation. These results indicate that the photo-Fenton process can be used in the remediation of effluents from pulp and paper industries.