Healthcare waste inoculated with B. atropheaus spores was used to evaluate a treatment process using UV light in combination with H2O2. First, the influence of the waste mass on the spore inactivation fraction was investigated for a constant radiation exposure time of 10 min and power per unit mass of waste (44-237 W/kg). The degree of inactivation of the spores was then determined as a function of exposure time (5-30 min) and power per mass unit (67-178 W/kg) for a constant waste mass. The experimental results were adjusted according to four kinetic models. The Hom and power law models were the most appropriate for the description of the disinfection process. The maximum experimental inactivation fraction (95%) achieved was obtained with 178 W/kg irradiation for 30 min.

In this work, SO2 was treated by reaction with dolomite limestone (24 µm) in a fluidized bed reactor composed of 500-590 µm sand particles. The influence of operating temperature (500, 600, 700 and 800ºC), superficial gas velocity (0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 m/s) and Ca/S molar ratio (1, 2 and 3) on SO2 removal efficiency for an inlet concentration of 1000 ppm was examined. Removal of the pollutant was found to be dependent on temperature and Ca/S molar ratio, particularly at 700 and 800ºC. A maximum removal of 76% was achieved at a velocity of 0.8 m/s, a temperature of 800°C and a Ca/S of 3. The main residence time of the powder particles was determined by integrating normalized gas concentration curves as a function of time; the values found ranged from 4.1 to 14.4 min. It was concluded that the reactor operated in bubbling fluidization under every operational condition.