Estudo termoanalítico da perlita hidrofobizada com óleo de linhaça

In this work, expanded perlite, a mineral clay, consisting of SiO2 and Al2O3 in the proportions of 72.1 and 18.5%, respectively, was used as an adsorbent for oil in its pure expanded form as well as hydrofobized with linseed oil. Thermogravimetry (TG), Derivative Thermogravimetry (DTG) and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) were used to study the thermal behavior and quantify the percent adsorption of perlite in differents processes comparing the results with the ones obtained using Gravimetric Analysis. In the process of hydrophobization with linseed oil granulometric fractions > 20, 20-32 and 32-60 mesh were used and adsorption tests with crude oil were performed in triplicate at room temperature. The results obtained by TG/DTG in dynamic atmosphere of air showed mass losses in a single step for the expanded perlite with pure adsorbed oil, indicating that the adsorption of oil was limited and that the particle size did not in this process. Linseed oil has performed well as an agent of hydrophobized perlite (32 to 60 mesh) indicating a maximum percentage of 59.9% and 68.6% the linseed with a fraction range from considering the data obtained by thermogravimetry and Gravimetry, respectively. The adsorption of oil in the expanded perlite and hydrofobized pure perlite with linseed oil did not produce good results, characterizing an increase of 0.5 to 4.6% in pure perlite and 3.3% in hydrofobized perlite with granulometric 32 to 60 mesh

Obtenção de biodiesel através da transesterificação do óleo de farelo de arroz utilizando KI/Al2O3

This study proposes to find a biodiesel through transesterification of rice bran oil with KI/Al2O3 checking the influence of two types of alumina (Amorphous and Crystalline) for conversion into methyl esters. The catalyst was synthesized by the wet impregnation method. Adding 30 mL of 35% KI(aq.) in 10 g of alumina, under stirring at 80 °C for 3 hours. The reaction conditions used in this study were optimized, with a molar ratio methanol:oil of 15:1, 8 h of reaction time and reflux temperature. The catalyst amount was varied in the range of 1 to 5 % wt. The solid catalysts materials were analyzed by: x-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry (TG), N2 adsorption/desorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and basicity, for the identification of its structure and composition, verifying the presence of basic sites. The results showed that Al2O3(A) presents an amorphous structure, high surface area and a better catalytic activity, in relation to the catalyst synthesized with Al2O3(C) support that proved to have a more crystalline structure, having as well, a lesser surface area, enabling difficulties for the incorporation of active sites. The obtained biodiesel with 5% wt. KI/Al2O3(A) presented physicochemical properties within the standards specified by the Resolution No 7/2008 ANP and obtained the best reaction yield with 95.2%, according to quantitative measurement from the TG, which showed 96.2% conversion into methyl esters. It was furthermore found that with the increasing amount of the quantity of the catalyst in the reaction, there was also an increase in the ester content obtained. The specific mass and the kinematic viscosity were reduced with the increase of the amount of quantity of the catalyst, indicating an increase in the conversion of triglycerides

Influência de atividades antrópicas sobre a salinização da água em área de dunas no Município de Guamaré RN

The municipality of Guamaré is located on the north coast of RN, Salineira zone, with a land area of 259 km2 and a population of approximately 12,500 inhabitants (IBGE, 2010). Presents strong morphological instability caused mainly by the influence of human activities in the region. The present study aims to assess the existing levels of salts in the springs of the region, by evaluating the electrical conductivity, pH, salinity, chlorides, hardness, calcium, magnesium and heavy metals in the water. The collection and analysis methods adopted in the survey are based on APHA (2005). The electrical conductivity, salinity and chloride behaved similarly throughout the study. Some points suffered the direct effect of the salt ponds and others. Given the existence of a drainage ditch between the saline and monitored region, there was little change in the environment, including the native vegetation. The opposite situation occurred in farms where the region is fully committed local vegetation and water holes and wells used in the past for domestic use are practically disabled (high salt content). In Rio Miassaba formation of an estuary is reversed, with the farther out from the sea showing higher salt concentracions, which may be associated with the discharge of organic matter and natural evaporation rate. In periods of no rainfall had a few points higher than the levels of salts found in seawater and may be associated with high evaporation in the region. Detected a positive factor is the high resilience and reducing salt, after periods of rainfall incidence

Aplicação da parafina e do óleo de linhaça como hidrofobizantes da vermiculita, para remoção de derivados de óleo diesel resentes em água produzida sintética

Produced water has lately aroused interest due to their high degree of salinity, suspended oil particles, chemicals added in various manufacturing processes, heavy metals and radioactivity sometimes. Along with oil and due to its high volume production, water production is one of the pollutants of most concern in the process of oil extraction. PAHs due to their ubiquity and their characteristics carcinogenic or mutagenic and teratogenic even have attracted the attention of every scientific society. Formed from the incomplete combustion of organic matter may be natural or anthropogenic. Some materials have been researched with the goal of cleaning up environmental matrices that may be contaminated by hydrocarbons. Among these materials researched various clays have been employed, of which highlights the vermiculite. The family of phyllosilicates, vermiculite for its potential and its high hydrophobic surface area has been a tool widely used in the decontamination of water in processes of oil spills. However, when it loses its capacity expanded hydrophobic having the necessity of using a hidrofobizante to make it organophilic. Among the numerous hidrofobizantes researched and used the linseed oil was the pioneer. In this study sought to evaluate the capacity of removal of PAHs using the vermiculite hydrofobized with linseed oil and wax also, for it was made use of the 24 full factorial design as the main tool for the experiments. We also evaluated the clay grain size (-20 +48 and -48 +80 #), the percentage of hidrofobizante applied (5 and 10%) and salinity of the water produced synthesized in our laboratory (35,000 and 55,000 ppm). The molecular fluorescence spectroscopy due to its sensitivity and speed was used to verify the adsorption capacity of clay, as well as gas chromatography served as an auxiliary technique to identify and quantify the PAHs in solution. In order to characterize the vermiculite was made use of X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction. The infrared and thermogravimetry were essential to note hydrophobization and the amount of coating of clay. According to the fluorescence analysis showed that the test 12 was the best result in about 98% adsorption of fluorescent compounds, however the high salinity, the smallest particle size, the highest percentage of hidrofobizante and the use of linseed oil showed greater efficiency in the removal capacity of these hydrocarbons, in accordance with the trend followed by the analysis of the major factors of the factorial design. To verify the adsorption capacity of clay using a fixed volume of water produced synthetically, used as the test base 12, at their respective levels and factors. Thus, it was observed that after adding about 1 ½ liters of water solution produced synthetically, about 300 times its volume in mass, the vermiculite was able to adsorb 80% of fluorescent species present in solution

Novas formulações de fluidos de corte: otimização, propriedades e recuperação do óleo usado

Cutting fluids are lubricants used in metal-mechanical industries. Their complex composition varies according to the type of operation carried out, also depending on the metals under treatment or investigation. Due to the high amount of mineral oil produced in Northeastern Brazil, we have detected the need to better use this class of material. In this work, two novel formulations have been tested, both based on naphthenic mineral oil and additives, such as: an emulsifying agent (A), an anticorrosion agent (B), a biocide (C) and an antifoam agent (D). Each formulation was prepared by mixing the additives in the mineral oil at a 700-rpm stirring velocity for 10 min, at 25°C, employing a 24 factorial planning. The formulations were characterized by means of density, total acid number (TAN), viscosity, flash point and anticorrosion activity. In a subsequent study, oil-in-water emulsions were prepared from these novel formulations. The emulsions were analyzed in terms of stability, corrosion degree, percentage of foam formation, conductivity, accelerated stability and particle size. The samples were appropriately labeled, and, in special, two of them were selected for featuring emulsion properties which were closer to those of the standards chosen as references (commercial cutting oils). Investigations were undertaken on the ability of NaCl and CaCl2 to destabilize the emulsions, at concentrations of 2%, 5% and 10%, at an 800-rpm stirring velocity for 5 min and temperatures of 25º, 40º, 50º and 60ºC. The recovered oils were chemically altered by reincorporating the same additives used in the original formulations, followed by preparation of emulsions with the same concentrations as those of the initial ones. The purpose was to assess the possibility of reusing the recovered oil. The effluents generated during the emulsion destabilization step were characterized via turbidity index, contents of oil and grease, pH, and contents of anions and cations, observing compliance with the parameters established by the current environmental legislation (Brazil s CONAMA 357/05 resolution). It could be concluded that the formulations presented excellent physicochemical properties as compared to commercial cutting fluids, showing that the quality of the newly-prepared fluids is superior to that of the formulations available in the market, enabling technically and environmentally-safe applications

Remoção, por flotação, de óleo em águas produzidas na indústria de petróleo: eficiência e modelagem do processo

The separation oil-water by the use of flotation process is characterized by the involvement between the liquid and gas phases. For the comprehension of this process, it s necessary to analyze the physical and chemical properties command float flotation, defining the nature and forces over the particles. The interface chemistry has an important role on the flotation technology once, by dispersion of a gas phase into a liquid mixture the particles desired get stuck into air bubbles, being conduced to a superficial layer where can be physically separated. Through the study of interface interaction involved in the system used for this work, was possible to apply the results in an mathematical model able to determine the probability of flotation using a different view related to petroleum emulsions such as oil-water. The terms of probability of flotation correlate the collision and addition between particles of oil and air bubbles, that as more collisions, better is the probability of flotation. The additional probability was analyzed by the isotherm of absorption from Freundlich, represents itself the add probability between air bubbles and oil particles. The mathematical scheme for float flotation involved the injected air flow, the size of bubbles and quantity for second, the volume of float cell, viscosity of environment and concentration of demulsifier. The results shown that the float agent developed by castor oil, pos pH variation, salt quantity, temperature, concentration and water-oil quantity, presented efficient extraction of oil from water, up to 95%, using concentrations around 11 ppm of demulsifier. The best results were compared to other commercial products, codified by ―W‖ and ―Z‖, being observed an equivalent demulsifier power between Agflot and commercial product ―W‖ and superior to commercial product ―Z‖

Estudo da eficácia do tensoativo sorbitano tween 80 veiculado em nanoemulsão contendo óleo de soja, como inibidor de corrosão

Nowadays, the use of chemicals that satisfactorily meet the needs of different sectors of the chemical industry is linked to the consumption of biodegradable materials. In this context, this work contemplated biotechnological aspects with the objective of developing a more environmentally-friendly corrosion inhibitor. In order to achieve this goal, nanoemulsion-type systems (NE) were obtained by varying the amount of Tween 80 (9 to 85 ppm) a sortitan surfactant named polyoxyethylene (20) monooleate. This NE-system was analyzed using phase diagrams in which the percentage of the oil phase (commercial soybean oil, codenamed as OS) was kept constant. By changing the amount of Tween 80, several polar NE-OS derived systems (O/W-type nanoemulsion) were obtained and characterized through light scattering, conductivity and pH, and further subjected to electrochemical studies. The interfacial behavior of these NE-OS derived systems (codenamed NE-OS1, S2, S3, S4 and S5) as corrosion inhibitors on carbon steel AISI 1020 in saline media (NaCl 3.5%) were evaluated by measurement of Open Circuit Potential (OCP), Polarization Curves (Tafel extrapolation method) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). The analyzed NE-OS1 and NE-OS2 systems were found to be mixed inhibitors with quantitative efficacy (98.6% - 99.7%) for concentrations of Tween 80 ranging between 9 and 85 ppm. According to the EIS technique, maximum corrosion efficiency was observed for some tested NE-OS samples. Additionaly to the electrochemical studies, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used, characterization of the nanoemulsion tested systems and adsorption studies, respectively, which confirmed the results observed in the experimental analyses using diluted NE-OS samples in lower concentrations of Tween 80 (0.5 1.75 ppm)

Estudo do óleo das sementes de Carthamus tinctorius L. Para produção de biodiesel

Most of the energy consumed worldwide comes from oil, coal and natural gas. These sources are limited and estimated to be exhausted in the future, therefore, the search for alternative sources of energy is paramount. Currently, there is considerable interest in making trade sustainable biodiesel, a fuel alternative to fossil fuels, due to its renewable nature and environmental benefits of its use in large scale. This trend has led the Brazilian government to establish a program (Probiodiesel) with the aim of introducing biodiesel into the national energy matrix, by addition of 5% biodiesel to conventional diesel in 2010 to foster not only the increase of renewable energy, but reduce imports of crude oil. This work evaluates different methods of extraction of oil Carthamus tinctorius L., their characterization by IR, 1H and 13C NMR, HPLC and TG and their use in the production of methyl ester (molar ratio of oil / alcohol 1:6, and NaOH catalyst). The physico-chemical parameters (acid value, density, viscosity, saponification index and surface tension) of oil and biodiesel were also described. The produced biodiesel had a yield of 93.65%, was characterized in relation to their physicochemical properties showing satisfactory results (density=875 kg/m3, viscosity = 6.22 mm2/s, AI = 0.01 mg (NaOH) /g) compared with the values established by the the National Agency Oil, Natural Gas and Biofuels

Obtenção de novos sistemas nanoautoemulsificantes a partir do óleo das sementes de Azadirachta indica A Juss e suas aplicações como inibidores de corrosão

Corrosion is a natural process that causes progressive deterioration of materials, so, reducing the corrosive effects is a major objective of development of scientific studies. In this work, the efficiency of corrosion inhibition on a AISI 1018 carbon steel of the nanoemulsion system containing the oil of the seeds of Azadirachta indica A. Juss (SNEOAI) was evaluated by the techniques of linear polarization resistance (LPR) and weight loss (CPM), a instrumented cell. For that, hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of A. indica (EAI) was solubilized in a nanoemulsion system (SNEOAI) of which O/W system (rich in aqueous phase). This nanoemulsion system (tested in different concentrations) was obtained with oil from the seeds of this plant species (OAI) (oil phase), dodecylammonium chloride (DDAC) (surfactant), butanol (cosurfactant) and water, using 30 % of C/T (cosurfactant/surfactant), 0.5 % of oil phase and 69.5 % of aqueous phase, and characterized by surface tension, rheology and droplet sizes. This systems SNEOAI and SNEOAI-EAI (nanoemulsion containing hydroalcoholic extract - EAI) showed inhibition efficiencies in corrosive environment in saline (1 %), for the method of LPR with significant value of 70.58 % (300 ppm) to SNEOAI, 74.17 % (100 ppm) and 72.51 % (150 ppm) to SNEOAI-EAI. The best efficiencies inhibitions were observed for the method of CPM with 85.41 % for the SNEOAI (300 ppm) and 83.19 % SNEOAI-EAI (500 ppm). The results show that this formulation could be used commercially for use as a corrosion inhibitor, this research contributed to the biotechnological applicability of Azadirachta indica, considering the large use of this plant species rich in limonoids (tetranortriterpenoids), especially azadirachtin

Hidrofobização, caracterização e aplicação da vermiculita para remoção de óleo insolúvel em água

Among the various layered silicates, vermiculite has been used as one of the adsorbent material by presenting the ion exchange capacity which facilitates the removal of organic compounds which are potential pollutants in relation to the water surface. The importance of the modification of clay minerals by hydrophobization with carnauba wax establishes the increase in oil removal capacity in aqueous medium, it contributes to a better environment for life in ecosystems. The vermiculite when expanded decreases its hydrophobicity requiring the use of a hydrophobizing leaving - the organoclay. In this work were used in the process of modifying the particle sizes of vermiculite -18+16, -16 +20 and -20 +35 #. Samples of vermiculite hydrophobized with carnauba wax and clay mineral without hydrophobizing were characterized with physicochemical analyzes and analytical. Techniques were used: thermal analysis (thermogravimetry and derivative thermogravimetry), infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence rays - x adsorption tests. The TG / DTG was used to evaluate the thermal behavior of expanded vermiculite and carnauba wax and samples hidrofobizadas with percentages of 5, 10 and 15 % by weight of hydrophobizing. The results of FTIR confirmed increase of the characteristic signs of carnauba wax in samples hidrofobizadas as the greatest amount of hydrophobizing the clay mineral used in hydrophobization. Thermogravimetry and FTIR show based on the results that coating the surface of the vermiculite occur homogeneously. The data obtained by the technique of x-ray fluorescence with loss on ignition confirmed the results of thermogravimetric analysis in relation to the percentage of wax incorporated. The fluorescence indicates through information provided by the analysis shows that the material covered - is homogeneous. The mev inspection was used to texture and morphology of the clay mineral with and without carnauba wax. The scanning electron microscopy confirms the deposition of wax evenly over the surface of the mineral as indicated by the other techniques. To verify the adsorption capacity of the clay without hydrophobizing hydrophobized and used a fixed volume of water to 1 ½ liters in each experiment with 3 g to 50 g of oil sample. The results show that better extraction of oil for the material processed corresponds to 260 % relative to the weight of the sample coated and greater than 80 % of the oil drop in the system

Obtenção de diesel verde por craqueamento termocatalítico de óleo de buriti (Mauritia flexuosa L.) sobre materiais nanoestruturados do tipo LaSBA-15

In order to obtain a biofuel similar to mineral diesel, lanthanum-incorporated SBA- 15 nanostructured materials, LaSBA-15(pH), with different Si/La molar ratios (75, 50, 25), were synthesized in a two-steps hydrothermal procedure, with pH-adjusting of the synthesis gel at 6, and were used like catalytic solids in the buriti oil thermal catalytic cracking. These solids were characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTG), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nitrogen porosimetry and ethanol dehydration, aiming to active sites identify. Taken together, the analyses indicated that the synthesis method has employed to obtain materials highly ordered mesostructures with large average pore sizes and high surface area, besides suggested that the lanthanum was incorporated in the SBA-15 both into the framework as well as within the mesopores. Catalytic dehydration of ethanol over the LaSBA-15(pH) products has shown that they have weak Lewis acid and basic functionalities, indicative of the presence of lanthanum oxide in these samples, especially on the La75SBA-15(pH) sample, which has presented the highest selectivity to ethylene. The buriti oil thermal and thermal catalytic cracking, realized from the room temperature to 450 ºC in a simple distillation system, has allowed obtaining two liquid fractions, each consisting of two phases, one aqueous and another organic, organic liquid (OL). The OL obtained from first fractions has shown high acid index, even in the thermal catalytic process. One the other hand, OL coming from second ones, called green diesel (GD), have presented low acid index, particularly that one obtained from the thermal catalytic process realized over LaSBA-15(pH) samples. The acid sites presence in these samples, associated to their large average pore sizes and high surface areas, have allowed them, especially the La75SBA-15(pH), to present deoxygenating activity in the buriti oil thermal catalytic cracking, providing an oxygenates content reduction, particularly carboxylic acids, in the GD. Furthermore, the GD comes from the second liquid fraction obtained in the buriti oil thermal catalytic cracking over this latest solid sample has shown hydrocarbons composition and physic-chemical properties similar to that mineral diesel, beyond sulfur content low

Remoção de frações de óleo leve e pesado de rocha calcária através de sistemas microemulsionados

In this research the removal of light and heavy oil from disintegrated limestone was investigated with use of microemulsions. These chemical systems were composed by surfactant, cosurfactant, oil phase and aqueous phase. In the studied systems, three points in the water -rich microemulsion region of the phase diagrams were used in oil removal experiments. These microemulsion systems were characterized to evaluate the influence of particle size, surface tension, density and viscosity in micellar stability and to understand how the physical properties can influence the oil recovery process. The limestone rock sample was characterized by thermogravimetry, BET area, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray fluorescence. After preparation, the rock was placed in contact with light and heavy oil solutions to allow oil adsorption. The removal tests were performed to evaluate the influence of contact time (1 minute, 30 minutes, 60 minutes and 120 minutes), the concentration of active matter (20, 30 and 40 %), different cosurfactants and different oil phases. For the heavy oil, the best result was on SME 1, with 20 % of active matter, 1 minute of contact time, with efficiency of 93,33 %. For the light oil, also the SME 1, with 20 % of active matter, 120 minutes of contact time, with 62,38 % of efficiency. From the obtained results, it was possible to conclude that microemulsions can be considered as efficient chemical systems for oil removal from limestone formations

Craqueamento térmico e termocatalítico do óleo de girassol (Hellianthus annus L.) sobre materiais micro e mesoporosos

Microporous materials zeolite type Beta and mesoporous type MCM-41 and AlMCM-41 were synthesized hydrothermally and characterized by methods of X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy, surface acidity, nitrogen adsorption, thermal analysis TG / DTG. Also we performed a kinetic study of sunflower oil on micro and mesoporous catalysts. The microporous material zeolite beta showed a lower crystallinity due to the existence of smaller crystals and a larger number of structural defects. As for the mesoporous materials MCM-41 and AlMCM-41 samples showed formation of hexagonal one-dimensional structure. The study of kinetic behavior of sunflower oil with zeolite beta catalysts, AlMCM-41 and MCM-41 showed a lower activation energy in front of the energy of pure sunflower oil, mainly zeolite beta. In the thermal cracking and thermocatalytic of sunflower oil were obtained two liquid fractions containing an aqueous phase and another organic - organic liquid fraction (FLO). The FLO first collected in both the thermal cracking as the thermocatalytic, showed very high level of acidity, performed characterizations of physicochemical properties of the second fraction in accordance with the specifications of the ANP. The second FLO thermocatalytic collected in cracking of sunflower oil presented results in the range of diesel oil, introducing himself as a promising alternative for use as biofuel liquid similar to diesel, either instead or mixed with it

Dinâmica Costeira dos Campos petrolíferos Macau/Serra, litoral setentrional do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

This thesis describes the general behavior of the northern shore of the State of Rio Grande do Norte relating beach profile morphology with hydrodynamic and sedimentological parameters. The Macau and Serra Oil Field are inserted on this area and are under accelerated coastal erosion. At these oil fields are installed oil wells from PETROBRAS, nowadays located directly in the shoreline, under constant attacks of coastal processes (e.g. waves, tides and currents), which promote an intense morphodynamic variability of this sandy coast. The area was monitored for 24 months in three different stations (P01, P02 and P03). The methodology applied involved current techniques of beach profiles, hydrodynamical processes, remote sensing and geophysics. A synthesis of results obtained through the use of different time scales (monthly, lunar cycle, seasonal, annual) from a coastal dynamics study is presented. The average wind direction corresponded to 77ºAz (NE). The steepness of the berm and of the shoreface, as well as coastal current direction, do not present major changes, with an average of 36º for the steepness of the berm, 15º for the shoreface and 15º for the coastal current direction. This data set allows us to infer that the months of larger coastal erosion were November/2000 and April/2001, because of the largest wave parameter during this time. The months of worse coastal erosion in this area are related with the increasing wavy energy. This in turn, seems to be related to seasonal climatic variations, with the wave energy and tide currents speed increasing during months of minor precipitations (June to January). The months of worse coastal erosion were September and November, when the largest wave parameters and speed currents are measured in the area. Since these months are included on the period of minor precipitations, we related the coastal erosion to seasonal climatic variations. The results obtained during these 24 months of monitoring confirms a situation of accentuated erosion, mainly in Profile 03 (Barra do Corta-Cachorro), where the wave height, period, and coastal current speed are always larger than the values found in Profile 02 (Macau5). Probably these values are more expressive in Profile 03, because it does not present any natural structure of protection against the wave impacts, as the barrier island located at Ponta do Tubarão, or the sand banks in front of Macau5. The transport of the sediments occurs from East to West, and the sand accumulation is more pronounced on Profile 03 intertidal zone, where there are embrionary dunes in dryer months. The tidal currents speed, on the other hand, is more accentuated in the Macau5 area (Profile 02). At Ponta do Tubarão, the tidal currents presented a preferential direction for NE, at times of flood, currents and for NW, at times of ebb current; at Barra do Corta-Cachorro the direction of the currents were predominantly for NW, independent of the tide phase, coinciding with the preferential direction of the longshore current. This currents inversion at Ponta do Tubarão is attributed to the presence of the Ponta do Tubarão island barrier and by the communication channel of the lagoon with the sea. The tide currents are better observed in protected areas, as in the Ponta do Tubarão, when they present inversion in their direction accordingly to the flood and ebb tide. In open areas, as in Barra do Corta-Cachorro, the tide currents are overprinted by the longshore currents. Sediment analysis does not show important modifications in grain size related to seasonality (dry- and rainy seasons). On the foreshore and backshore zones, the sediments vary from fine to medium sand, while in the shoreface they very from fine to very sands. The grains are mostly spheres, varying from sub rounded to sub angled. Quartz is the main component alongside Feldspat and heavy minerals as accessory components. Biogenic content is also present and mainly represented by mollusks fragments. The calculated sediment transport show values around 100 m3/day. The morphodynamic studies indicated that this is a reflexive area from October to April, and intermediate from May to September. The Relative Tide Range-RTR for this area is 4 < RTR < 15, and so classified in the mixed wave-tide group. Having this exposed we can affirm that the more active natural factors in this area are the currents, followed by the tides and the winds. The anthropic factors are exclusively local and punctual (Macau and Serra Oil Field). Taking in account the economic importance of the area, as well as the intensity of coastal processes acting on this shore, it is important a continuity of the monthly environmental monitoring looking for variations on longer-period cycles. These data have been stored on the geo-referenced database of the projects MARPETRO and PETRORISCO (REDE 05), aiming to model the coastal and sea environment, susceptible to oil spills and their derivatives

Caracterização hidrodinâmica e morfo-sedimentar do estuário Potengi e áreas adjascentes: subsídios para controle e recuperação ambiental no caso de derrames de hidrocarboneto

This study presents the Environmental Sensibility Mapping to oil spillings on the Potengi estuary - RN and neighboring coastline through remote sensing data, collecting, treatment and integration of the geomorphologic, oceanographic (temperature, salinity, density, direction and intensity), meteorological (wind speed and direction) and high resolution seismic (bathymetry and sonography) data. The Potengi river estuary is located on the eastern coastline of the Rio Grande do Norte State, being inserted in the geological context for the coastal Pernambuco-Paraíba basin and spreading over 18 km; it shelters the Natal harbor zone and an oil terminal, centralizing, therefore, important oil transport operations that can cause accidental spillings. Under the oceanographic point of view, the Potengi estuary is characterized by the absence of any expressive thermic stratification, being classified as partially mixed, B type according to Pritchard (1955), and 2 type in conformity to the stratification-circulation diagram by Hansen & Rattray (1966). Two main wind systems are responsable for the formation of wave sets that occur in the area. The dynamic tide presents, in the Natal Harbor, mean amplitude in spring and quadrature tides, with around 2.8 and 2m, respectively. The mechanism of saline tide mixing was defined through the salinity which is the main parameter for the identification of this mechanism. Important variations of the salinity mean values (36.32 psu), temperature (28.11ºC) and density (22.96 kg/m3) in the estuarine waters presented features belonging to low latitude regions. The water temperature follows the air temperature variations, in the region, with expressive daily amplitudes. In this study, the identification of the estuarine bed morphology through bathymetric and sonographic analysis, had the purpose to evaluate the influence of the superficial and bottom currents for the bottom shaping. In this way, the use of the side scan sonar showed, to be very useful in the identification of the bottom morphology and its relationship with the predominant action of the tidal currents in the Potengi estuary. Besides, it showed how the sonograms can be a support to the comparison of the several patterns derived from the local hydrodynamic variations. The holocene sediments, which fill the estuarine channel, are predominantly sandy, varying from selected, sometimes silty. The sedimentation is controlled by the environmental hydrodynamic conditions, being recognized two important textural facies: Muddy Facies and Sandy Facies. The distribution of these textural facies apparently oscillates owing to the tidal cycle and flow intensity. Each one of the above mentioned data was integrated in a Geographic Information System (GIS), from which was produced the Environmental Sensibility Map to oil spillings with Coastal Sensibility Index (CSI) to the Potengi estuary. The integrated analysis of these data is essential to oil spilling contingency plans, in order to reduce the spilling environmental consequences and to make efficient the endeavours of contention and cleaning up/removal on the Natal Harbor. This study has the aim to collaborate for the increase of informations about the estuarine environment and contribute to a better management of the question: environment/polluting loads