Utilização do óleo extraído dos resíduos da filetagem de tilápia (Oreochromis niloticus) para produção de biodiesel

The aims of this study were to evaluate the potential of the oil extracted from tilapia residues filleting for biodiesel production, select the one that presents the greatest potential for this purpose and characterize the obtained biodiesel to be neutralized or refined and analyzed according to their physicochemical and yield characteristics. For this, the crude heads, carcasses and offal which have undergone physical and chemical analysis and yield were extracted. For this, the crude oil was extracted from the heads, carcasses and guts, which have passed through physicochemical and yield analysis.For the statistical analysis, a completely randomized design was used with 3 treatments (head, carcass and viscera) and 5 replications.It was observed significant differences in the oils (P <0.05) being the viscera oil the one that showed higher yield although it presented the worst values for all evaluated indices. For this reason this oil was selected for further studies. In this new stage of the study the treatments were: neutralized crude oil and viscera refined oil with different volumes of NaOH 16%.It was adopted a completely randomized design, with a 2x3 factorial (types of oil x soda volumes) with 3 replications. The analyzed variables were acid value, saponification index, peroxide value and iodine value. It was also evaluated the performance of all the obtained biodiesel. It can be concluded that: among the filleting residues oil of tilapias, the one which is more suitable for biodiesel production, due to its high yield, was the viscera oil. The use of all stages of refining is indispensable, once the obtained index and the yield were greater in the biodiesel refined oil; the produced biodiesel from tilapia’s viscera oil meets the ANP standards and, therefore, it is adequate for use.

Avaliação do potencial de uso agrícola da fluorita com óxido silício (AgroSiCa), derivado da fabricação de fertilizantes fosfatados

Phosphate fertilizers are critical for crop production in tropical soils, which are known for having high phosphate-fixing capacity and aluminium saturation, as well as low pH and calcium contents. Fluorine is a component of many phosphate rocks used to make phosphate fertilizers, via a process that generates hexafluorosilicic acid (H2SiF6). While many treatment technologies have been proposed for removal of fluorine in industrial facilities, little attention has been given to a process of neutralizing H2SiF6 with calcium oxide aiming to find out an alternative and sustainable use of a by-product with a great potential for beneficial use in tropical agriculture. This study evaluated the effect of a by-product of phosphoric acid production (fluorite with silicon oxide, hereafter called AgroSiCa) in levels of phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), silicon (Si), aluminum (Al) and fluorine (F) and some others parameters in soils as on growth of soybean and corn. Experiments were conducted in a greenhouse condition at the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, Minas Gerais, using different types of soils in tropical regions and different doses of AgroSiCa. The application of AgroSiCa resulted in a slight increase in soil pH and significant increases in calcium, phosphorus and silicon in the soil solution and the shoots of corn and soybeans. We also found very low levels of fluoride in all soil leachates. A significant reduction of labile aluminum levels found in all soils after the cultivation of corn and soybeans. In sum, AgroSiCa improved soil properties and contributed to better growth of both cultures. In sum, AgroSiCa improved soil properties and contributed to a better growth of both crops. Our results show that reacting H2SiF6 derived from the wet-process phosphoric acid production with calcium oxide leads to a by-product with potential for agricultural use, especially when applied in highly-weathered soils. Besides providing calcium and silicon to plants, the use of such by-product in soils with high phosphate-fixing capacity and high aluminium saturation delivers additional benefits, since fluoride and silicon can play an important role in improving soil conditions due to the formation of less plant-toxic forms of aluminium, as well as upon decreasing phosphate fixation, thus improving root development and making fertilizer-derived phosphate more available for plant growth.