RESUMO
Aluminum sulfate is one of the most used chemical coagulants in the world, but research has shown that high concentrations of aluminum in the body are associated with neuropathological conditions. Because of this, different alternatives have been evaluated such as natural coagulants, which are considered safe for human health and contain fewer contaminants than chemicals due to their biodegradation properties. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of mixing nopal mucilage and cassava starch for turbidity removal in water purification. In this paper, test jars and the treatment equipment (TA-scale FQ-005/PE manufactured by Generatoris SA de CV of Mexico) was applied in order to measure turbidity and pH parameters before and after the process of coagulation-flocculation, which was applied to water from the Magdalena River in Colombia. Samples from two sampling periods were assessed. One was evaluated during the rainy season and the other was evaluated without precipitation (drought) with initial turbidities of 316 NTU and 80 NTU, respectively. It was found that aluminum sulfate as a coagulant reference obtained better turbidity removal results (up to 99%) as compared to nopal (up to 60.4%), and nopal-starch combination of cassava (up to 67%), indicating that this mixture increases the effectiveness of natural coagulants used individually. Our results indicate that this should be considered as an alternative in the water purification process.
RESUMO
RESUMEN Paciente canino, de raza maltés, género femenino, castrado, de 4 años y 5 Kg de peso. El motivo principal de consulta fue tos y dificultad respiratoria grave. Durante la evaluación clínica, el paciente presentó cianosis, estridor inspiratorio y espiratorio severo, tos en graznido especialmente después de un estímulo emocional. Se realizó una broncoscopia que reveló una disminución dinámica en el diámetro de la luz traqueal, un colapso severo en las porciones cervicales y torácicas. Debido a la gravedad del colapso traqueal, se decidió la implantación de un stent de nitinol. La elección del stent es fundamental y por tanto fue necesario realizar una medición del diámetro y la longitud de la tráquea para minimizar los efectos secundarios y los rechazos. La tráquea presentó variabilidad del diámetro a nivel torácico, razón por la cual se decidió utilizar un stent dual, el cual se colocó mediante observación directa a través de un broncoscopio pediátrico. Se presenta un caso en el que se usó un stent dual, indicado en casos en que el diámetro de la tráquea varía en su trayecto. Se obtuvieron excelentes resultados ya que se ajustó a los diferentes diámetros que presentó la tráquea en los niveles cervical y torácico.
ABSTRACT Canine patient, Maltese breed, female gender, castrated, 4 years old and 5 Kg of weight. The main reason for consultation was cough and severe respiratory distress. During the clinical evaluation, the patient presented cyanosis, severe inspiratory and expiratory stridor, squawking cough, especially after emotional stimulation. A bronchoscopy was performed that revealed a dynamic decrease in the diameter of the tracheal lumen, a severe collapse in the cervical and thoracic portions. Due to the severity of the tracheal collapse, the implantation of a nitinol stent was decided. The choice of stent is essential and therefore it was necessary to perform a measurement of the diameter and length of the trachea to minimize side effects and rejections. The trachea presented diameter variability at the thoracic level, which is why it was decided to use a dual stent, which was placed by direct observation through a pediatric bronchoscope. We present a case in which a dual stent was used, indicated in cases in which the diameter of the trachea varies along its path. Excellent results were obtained since it was adjusted to the different diameters that the trachea presented at the cervical and thoracic levels.