USO DE COAGULANTES NO TRATAMENTO DE EFLUENTE DE LAVANDERIA HOSPITALAR: A BUSCA POR PROCESSOS FÍSICO-QUÍMICOS SUSTENTÁVEIS VISANDO REMOÇÃO DE POLUENTES E MICRORGANISMOS PATOGÊNICOS

Abstract

Hospital laundry is an important source of environmental pollution because its effluent contains high loads of organic matter and microorganisms. Conventionally, the treatment is carried out using aluminum sulfate, a low-cost and highly efficient coagulant that is related to secondary contamination due to the generation of non-biodegradable sludge, its ability to accumulate metals and toxicity. Aiming for sustainable alternatives, the efficiency of tannin from the natural coagulant and Moringa oleifera seed was evaluated in relation to aluminum sulfate, seeking to adapt the color and turbidity parameters and determine the antimicrobial activity of the seed. Using a concentration of 100 mg L-1 of aluminum sulfate, 97.4 and 93.95% of color and turbidity removals in the effluent were obtained, respectively. With 50 mg L-1 tannin showed an efficiency of 84.96% for color removal and 89.75% for turbidity. Tests were also carried out with Moringa oleifera seeds using saline seed extract, crushed seeds and aqueous seed extract, with a reduction in conductivity by more than 99%, removing pollutant ions for the saline extract. Of the methodologies used, the best result was obtained with the aqueous extract, achieving removals of 89.63% of color, 78.33% of turbidity, and inhibition of more than 98.1% of microorganism growth.