This work aims to study the potential of expanded perlite (EP) for amoxicillin (AMX) removal in aqueous solution. For this purpose, chemical, morphological, and textural characteristics of the EP were evaluated, in addition to AMX removal by the adsorption process. The kinetic, isothermal, and thermodynamic parameters were also assessed. The EP presented an isoelectric point of 6.5 and a surface with hydroxyl bands, which favour the adsorption process. Air bubbles were sealed and randomly connected with each other, increasing the surface area relative to the adsorption sites. These non-porous or macro-porous sites demonstrate efficiency in the mechanisms of mass transfer. AMX removal was determined to be a pseudo-second-order process since the adsorption velocity was proportional to the square of the available adsorption sites and indicates heterogeneity in the surface interactions between the adsorbed molecules. Also, the interactions were considered multilayer for low concentrations and monolayer for high concentrations (Sips isotherm). The adsorption process was endothermic and utilised a physical adsorption mechanism. Considering that no modification treatment was applied to the EP, and due to its neutral isoelectric point, macropores, amorphous and dipole induction force (physical adsorption) characteristics, favourable affinity between EP and AMX was observed.

RESUMO A vermiculita expandida, além de largamente aplicada na construção civil como isolante acústico e retardante de chamas e na agricultura como veículo para fertilizantes, tem sido explorada como possível adsorvente de contaminantes na área ambiental. Dessa forma, objetivou-se caracterizá-la por padrões físico-químicos e mineralógicos. Para tanto foram determinadas as propriedades: ponto de carga zero (pHpcz: 8,5), os sítios ácidos e básicos (carga superficial negativa com presença de grupos ácidos - carboxílicos: 0,9680 mEq g-1 e fenólicos: 0,0007 mEq g-1 e grupos básicos: 1,5490 mEq g-1), capacidade de troca catiônica (CTC: 122 mEq de azul de metileno por100 g de vermiculita expandida), difração de raios X (DRX: alta cristalinidade e pureza), espectrometria de infravermelho com transformada de Fourier (FTIR: característica de filossilicato - deformação axial e angular simétrica de grupamentos O-H, estiramento assimétrico Si-O-Si e Si-O-Al e estiramento Al-O), microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV: estrutura lamelar típica e vermiforme) e adsorção física de N2 (BET/BJH: sólido mesoporoso - tipo placa, volume de área superficial de 9 m2 g-1 g, volume e diâmetro médio do poro de 0,02 cm3 g-1 e 19 Å, respectivamente). Os resultados apontam que a argila vermiculita expandida apresenta-se fortemente como um material adsorvente, possuindo maior afinidade com cátions e moléculas catiônicas e com capacidade de adsorção para moléculas de tamanhos variados.

ABSTRACT Expanded vermiculite, in addition to being widely used in civil construction as acoustic insulation and flame retardant and in agriculture as carrier vehicles of fertilizers, has been explored as a possible adsorbent of contaminants in the environmental area. Thus, the objective was to characterize it by physical-chemical and mineralogical standards. For this, the following properties were determined: zero charge point (pHzcp: 8.5), acid and basic sites (negative surface area with the presence of acid groups – carboxylic: 0.9680 mEq g-1 and phenolics 0.0007 mEq g-1 and basic groups: 1.5490 mEq g-1), cation exchange capacity (CEC: 122 mEq of methylene blue per 100 g of expanded vermiculite), X-ray diffraction (XRD: high crystallinity and purity), Fourier transformation infrared spectrometry (FTIR: characteristic of filossilicate, axial and symmetrical angular deformation of O-H groups, asymmetric stretching Si-O-Si and Si-O-Al and stretching Al-O), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM: typical lamellar and vermiform structure) and adsorption of N2 (BET/BJH: mesoporous solid - plate type, volume of surface area of 9 m2 g-1, pore volume and average pore diameter of 0.02 cm3 g-1 and 19 Å, respectively). The results show that the expanded vermiculite clay is strongly adsorbent, possessing higher affinity with cations and cationic molecules and with adsorption capacity for molecules of different sizes.

RESUMO Diferentemente dos contaminantes orgânicos, os metais pesados não são biodegradáveis e tendem a se acumular nos organismos vivos e também são reconhecidos por serem tóxicos ou carcinogênicos. A utilização de nanopartículas de ferro zero valente (nFVZ) é relatada como uma técnica alternativa e de elevado potencial para remediação in situ e ex situ de matrizes contaminadas com este metal, principalmente devido à sua grande área superficial ativa e significativa capacidade de adsorção, podendo se consolidar em um método simples e eficiente de tratamento. Neste estudo foram sintetizadas partículas de Ferro Valencia Zero (FVZ) pelo método de redução química utilizando o sulfato ferroso hexa hidratado (FeSO4.7H2O) e Borohidreto de Sódio (NaBH4) com posterior agregação a partículas de carvão ativado em pó (PAC), formando o adsorvente PAC-FVZ, o qual foi caracterizado pelas técnicas de DRX e MEV, as quais revelaram a integração do catalisador à matriz de PAC. Finalmente, estudos cinéticos desenvolvidos revelaram que a cinética de adsorção se adaptou melhor a um modelo de pseudo segunda ordem, sendo que as isotermas foram melhor representadas pelo modelo de Freundlich e os resultados termodinâmicos demonstraram que a reação de adsorção ocorreu através de um processo espontâneo com interação endotérmica entre o Cr (VI) e o PAC-FVZ com aumento na aleatoriedade do sistema.

Abstract Unlike organic contaminants, heavy metals are not biodegradable and tend to accumulate in living organisms; they are also recognized for being toxic or carcinogenic. The use of nanoparticles of zero-valent iron (nZVI) is reported as an alternative technique with high potential for in situ and ex situ remediation of contaminated matrices with this metal, mainly due to its large active surface area and significant adsorption capacity to consolidate into a simple and efficient method of treatment. In this study, ZVI particles were synthesized by the chemical reduction method using hydrated ferrous sulfate (FeSO4.7H2O) and sodium borohydride (NaBH4) with subsequent aggregation to powdered activated carbon (PAC), forming the adsorbent PAC-ZVI, which was characterized by the techniques of XRD and SEM, which revealed the integration of the catalyst to the activated carbon matrix. Finally, developed kinetic studies revealed that the adsorption kinetics was better adapted to a pseudo second order model, the isotherms were better represented by the Freundlich model and the thermodynamic results showed that the adsorption reaction occurred through a spontaneous process with endothermic interaction between Cr (VI) and PAC-ZVI with increase in the randomness of the system.

RESUMO Os processos industriais de produção têxtil têm como característica o uso de grandes volumes de água durante as etapas de lavagem e tingimento dos tecidos, resultando em efluentes com enorme diversidade e complexidade química. A presença de corantes dissolvidos é bastante visível e problemática, considerando sua recalcitrância e cinética de degradação lenta. Neste trabalho, o fungo Lasiodiplodia theobromae MMPI foi avaliado quanto à capacidade de descoloração de efluente industrial têxtil. Os ensaios foram conduzidos em biorreator de bancada (5 L) com tempo de incubação de 192 horas. A eficiência de descoloração variou de 19,52% (24 h) a 91,26% (168 h) e a produção de biomassa micelial variou de 1,23 g.L-1 (24 h) a 7,60 g.L-1 (168 h). Produção de exopolissacarídeo (EPS) também foi observada, com quantidades variando de 2,84 g L-1 em 24 h a 4,28 g.L-1 em 48 h. A caracterização do efluente industrial indicou valores de alguns parâmetros de controle fora dos padrões de lançamento exigidos pela legislação brasileira, com elevada demanda química de oxigênio (DQO) (659 mg.L-1) e demanda bioquímica de oxigênio (DBO5) (328 mg.L-1). A análise de toxicidade utilizando o microcrustáceo Artemia salina demonstrou que a concentração de efluente bruto que causou a mortalidade de 50% dos organismos (CL50) foi de aproximadamente 14,72% (v/v) e ao final do tratamento foi de 4,98% (v/v). Embora o fungo não tenha sido hábil na detoxificação biológica do efluente, ele apresentou resultados promissores quanto à capacidade de remoção de cor, demonstrando potencial de uso em processos auxiliares de tratamento de efluente industrial têxtil visando descoloração.

ABSTRACT The industrial processes of textile production are characterized by the use of large volumes of water during the washing steps and fabric dyeing, resulting in effluent with enormous diversity and chemical complexity. The presence of dissolved dyes is quite noticeable and problematic, considering their recalcitrance and slow degradation kinetic. In this work, the Lasiodiplodia theobromae MMPI fungus was evaluated for their ability to removing color from effluent. The assays were performed in a bench-scale bioreactor (5 L) with an incubation time of 192 hours. The decoloring efficiency ranged from 19.52% on 24h to 91,26% on 168 h and the mycelial biomass production ranged from 1.23 g.L-1 (24 h) to 7.60 g.L-1 (168 h). Production of exopolysaccharide (EPS) also was observed, with amounts ranged from 2.84 g.L-1 (24 h) to 4.28 g.L-1 (48 h). The characterization of the effluent showed some values of control parameters outside the discharge standards required by Brazilian law, with high Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) (659 mg.L-1) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5) (328 mg.L-1). The toxicity analysis using the microcrustacean Artemia salina, showed that the raw effluent concentration that caused 50% mortality of organisms (LC50) was approximately 14.72% (v/v) and at the end of treatment was 4.98% (v/v). Although the fungus was not efficient in biological detoxification of the effluent, it showed promising results for its color removal capacity, demonstrating potential for use in auxiliary treatment processes of textile effluents for the color removal.

Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) threatens global TB control and is a major public health concern in several countries. We therefore developed a multiplex assay (LINE-TB/MDR) that is able to identify the most frequent mutations related to rifampicin (RMP) and isoniazid (INH) resistance. The assay is based on multiplex polymerase chain reaction, membrane hybridisation and colorimetric detection targeting of rpoB and katG genes, as well as the inhA promoter, which are all known to carry specific mutations associated with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). The assay was validated on a reference panel of 108 M. tuberculosis isolates that were characterised by the proportion method and by DNA sequencing of the targets. When comparing the performance of LINE-TB/MDR with DNA sequencing, the sensitivity, specificity and agreement were 100%, 100% and 100%, respectively, for RMP and 77.6%, 90.6% and 88.9%, respectively, for INH. Using drug sensibility testing as a reference standard, the performance of LINE-TB/MDR regarding sensitivity, specificity and agreement was 100%, 100% and 100% (95%), respectively, for RMP and 77%, 100% and 88.7% (82.2-95.1), respectively, for INH. LINE-TB/MDR was compared with GenoType MTBDRplus for 65 isolates, resulting in an agreement of 93.6% (86.7-97.5) for RIF and 87.4% (84.3-96.2) for INH. LINE-TB/MDR warrants further clinical validation and may be an affordable alternative for MDR-TB diagnosis.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a capacidade de remoção de íons cobre (II) de soluções aquosas sintéticas, através da biossorção utilizando o fungo Pleurotus ostreatus. O fungo foi cultivado em meio mínimo e utilizado como biossorvente seco. Utilizou-se um planejamento fatorial 23 com três repetições no ponto central para determinar a melhor condição de trabalho e esta correspondeu à menor concentração de biossorvente e maior tempo de experimento, removendo 86,01% de íons cobre (II). Estudos cinéticos permitiram verificar o tempo máximo de biossorção revelando que em cinco minutos a biomassa atingiu sua capacidade de saturação. O modelo de Langmuir foi o que melhor se ajustou aos dados experimentais do biossorvente Pleurotus ostreatus.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the capacity to remove copper ions (II) from synthetic aqueous solutions through biosorption using the fungus Pleurotus ostreatus. The fungus was grown in minimal medium and used as biosorbent dry. It was used a factorial design 23 with three replicates at the central point to determine the best working condition and this corresponded to the lowest concentration of biosorbent and longer experiment, removing 86.01% of copper ions (II). Kinetic studies allowed to verify the maximum biosorption revealing that in five minutes biomass reached its saturation capacity. The Langmuir model was the best fit to the experimental data of biosorbent Pleurotus ostreatus.

Mutations in the katG gene have been identified and correlated with isoniazid (INH) resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates. The mutation AGC→ACC (Ser→Thr) at katG315 has been reported to be the most frequent and is associated with transmission and multidrug resistance. Rapid detection of this mutation could therefore improve the choice of an adequate anti-tuberculosis regimen, the epidemiological monitoring of INH resistance and, possibly, the tracking of transmission of resistant strains. An in house reverse hybridisation assay was designed in our laboratory and evaluated with 180 isolates of M. tuberculosis. It could successfully characterise the katG315 mutation in 100% of the samples as compared to DNA sequencing. The test is efficient and is a promising alternative for the rapid identification of INH resistance in regions with a high prevalence of katG315 mutants.