Kinetic parameters of red pepper waste as biomass to solid biofuel.

This work aimed to study the kinetic of thermal degradation of red pepper waste as solid biofuel to bioenergy production. The thermal degradation experiments were conducted at three heating rates, 5°C/min, 7.5°C/min and 10°C/min in a thermogravimetric analyzer and oxidative atmosphere. The kinetic analysis was carried out applying the isoconversional model of Ozawa-Flynn-Wall. The activation energy was considerate low and varied 29.49-147.25k J/mol. The enthalpies revealed the energy difference between the reagent and the activated complex agreed with activation energies, the values of the pre-exponential factor indicated empirical first order reactions, Gibbs free energy varied from 71.77 kJ/mol to 207.03 kJ/mol and the changes of entropies had negative values, indicating that the degree of disorder of products formed through bond dissociations was lower than initial reactants. The calorific value was 19.5 MJ/kg, considered a relevant result for bioenergy production.

Comparação de dois índices de determinação do grau de trofia nas águas do Baixo Rio São José dos Dourados, São Paulo, Brasil / Comparison of two indexes of determination of the trophic state in the waters of Baixo São José dos Dourados, São Paulo, Brazil

RESUMO Estudo realizado no período de fevereiro de 2010 a janeiro de 2011, no Baixo São José dos Dourados (BSJD), inserido na Unidade de Gerenciamento de Recursos Hídricos 18 (UGRHI), com o intuito de determinar o grau de trofia da água por meio do cálculo do índice de estado trófico (IET). Os pontos de coletas contemplavam as entradas diretas e difusas no trecho represado do curso d'água (pontos 1 e 2), intermediário (3) e próximo de sua confluência com o Rio Paraná (ponto 4). As amostras coletadas foram superficiais, de meio e de aproximadamente 1 m acima do leito. Em laboratório, foram determinados a clorofila-a, o fósforo total e o ortofosfato; a transparência da água foi determinada no local da coleta. Após determinados os parâmetros necessários foi possível classificar as águas como sendo oligotróficas e ultraoligotróficas.

ABSTRACT This Study conducted from February 2010 to January 2011, in the Baixo São José dos Dourados (BSJD), in the Unidade de Gerenciamento de Recursos Hídricos (UGRHI) 18, in order to determine the trophic level of the water calculating the trophic state index (TSI) The points of collection were at the direct and diffuse inputs and dammed stretch of the watercourse (points 1 and 2), intermediate (3) and confluence with the Paraná River (point 4). The samples were superficial, medium and approximately 1 m above the riverbed. At the laboratory was determined chlorophyll-a, total phosphorus and orthophosphate, water transparency was determined at the collect place. After those parameters was possible to classify the waters as oligotrophic and ultraoligotrophic.