904 resultados para Plant waste treatment


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Waste produced during the service life of automobiles has received much less attention than end-of-life vehicles themselves. In this paper, we deal with the set up of a reverse logistics system for the collection and treatment of use-phase residues. First, the type of waste arising during vehicles? service life is characterized. Data were collected in collaboration with SIGRAUTO, the product stewardship organization in charge of vehicles? recovery in Spain. Next, three organizational models are proposed. The three alternatives are benchmarked and assessed from a double organizational and operational perspective for the particular case of the Madrid region in Spain

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Aquaponics is the science of integrating intensive fish aquaculture with plant production in recirculating water systems. Although ion waste production by fish cannot satisfy all plant requirements, less is known about the relationship between total feed provided for fish and the production of milliequivalents (mEq) of different macronutrients for plants, especially for nutrient flow hydroponics used for strawberry production in Spain. That knowledge is essential to consider the amount of macronutrients available in aquaculture systems so that farmers can estimate how much nutrient needs to be supplemented in the waste water from fish, to produce viable plant growth. In the present experiment, tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) were grown in a small-scale recirculating system at two different densities while growth and feed consumption were noted every week for five weeks. At the same time points, water samples were taken to measure pH, EC25, HCO3 – , Cl – , NH4 + , NO2 – , NO3 – , H2PO4 – , SO4 2– , Na + , K+ , Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ build up. The total increase in mEq of each ion per kg of feed provided to the fish was highest for NO3 - , followed, in decreasing order, by Ca 2+ , H2PO4 – , K+ , Mg 2+ and SO4 2– . The total amount of feed required per mEq ranged from 1.61- 13.1 kg for the four most abundant ions (NO3 – , Ca 2+ , H2PO4 – and K+ ) at a density of 2 kg fish m–3 , suggesting that it would be rather easy to maintain small populations of fish to reduce the cost of hydroponic solution supplementation for strawberries.

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The study of cross-reactivity in allergy is key to both understanding. the allergic response of many patients and providing them with a rational treatment In the present study, protein microarrays and a co-sensitization graph approach were used in conjunction with an allergen microarray immunoassay. This enabled us to include a wide number of proteins and a large number of patients, and to study sensitization profiles among members of the LTP family. Fourteen LTPs from the most frequent plant food-induced allergies in the geographical area studied were printed into a microarray specifically designed for this research. 212 patients with fruit allergy and 117 food-tolerant pollen allergic subjects were recruited from seven regions of Spain with different pollen profiles, and their sera were tested with allergen microarray. This approach has proven itself to be a good tool to study cross-reactivity between members of LTP family, and could become a useful strategy to analyze other families of allergens.

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Antimicrobial peptides constitute an important factor in the defense of plants against pathogens, and bacterial resistance to these peptides have previously been shown to be an important virulence factor in Dickeya dadantii, the causal agent of soft-rot disease of vegetables. In order to understand the bacterial response to antimicrobial pep- tides, a transcriptional microarray analysis was performed upon treatment with sub-lethal concentration of thionins, a widespread plant peptide. In all, 36 genes were found to be overexpressed, and were classified according to their deduced function as i) transcriptional regulators, ii) transport, and iii) modification of the bacterial membrane. One gene encoding a uricase was found to be repressed. The majority of these genes are known to be under the control of the PhoP/PhoQ system. Five genes representing the different functions induced were selected for further analysis. The results obtained indicate that the presence of antimicrobial peptides induces a complex response which includes peptide-specific elements and general stress-response elements contributing differentially to the virulence in different hosts.

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This cooperation project aims to improve the sanitation facilities of the city of Wukro (located in the Tigray Region, northern Ethiopia), particularly the management of latrine wastes, by designing a sludge treatment plant in the city. It is framed within the Final Project Department of the E.T.S.I. de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, in collaboration with Wukro’s St. Mary’s College and the Mission of Ángel Olaran, that are part of the Ethiopian Catholic Church Diocese of Adigrat (ECCA). The present city, of about 42,000 inhabitants, was founded by the Italians in 1936. Due to its geographic location, which makes the city suitable for industrial and agricultural activities, Wukro is becoming an important administrative and economic center in the region, with a fast growing population.

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La prevalencia de las alergias está aumentando desde mediados del siglo XX, y se estima que actualmente afectan a alrededor del 2-8 % de la población, pero las causas de este aumento aún no están claras. Encontrar el origen del mecanismo por el cual una proteína inofensiva se convierte en capaz de inducir una respuesta alérgica es de vital importancia para prevenir y tratar estas enfermedades. Aunque la caracterización de alérgenos relevantes ha ayudado a mejorar el manejo clínico y a aclarar los mecanismos básicos de las reacciones alérgicas, todavía queda un largo camino para establecer el origen de la alergenicidad y reactividad cruzada. El objetivo de esta tesis ha sido caracterizar las bases moleculares de la alergenicidad tomando como modelo dos familias de panalergenos (proteínas de transferencia de lípidos –LTPs- y taumatinas –TLPs-) y estudiando los mecanismos que median la sensibilización y la reactividad cruzada para mejorar tanto el diagnóstico como el tratamiento de la alergia. Para ello, se llevaron a cabo dos estrategias: estudiar la reactividad cruzada de miembros de familias de panalérgenos; y estudiar moléculas-co-adyuvantes que pudieran favorecer la capacidad alergénica de dichas proteínas. Para estudiar la reactividad cruzada entre miembros de la misma familia de proteínas, se seleccionaron LTPs y TLPs, descritas como alergenos, tomando como modelo la alergia a frutas. Por otra parte, se estudiaron los perfiles de sensibilización a alérgenos de trigo relacionados con el asma del panadero, la enfermedad ocupacional más relevante de origen alérgico. Estos estudios se llevaron a cabo estandarizando ensayos tipo microarrays con alérgenos y analizando los resultados por la teoría de grafos. En relación al estudiar moléculas-co-adyuvantes que pudieran favorecer la capacidad alergénica de dichas proteínas, se llevaron a cabo estudios sobre la interacción de los alérgenos alimentarios con células del sistema inmune humano y murino y el epitelio de las mucosas, analizando la importancia de moléculas co-transportadas con los alérgenos en el desarrollo de una respuesta Th2. Para ello, Pru p 3(LTP y alérgeno principal del melocotón) se selección como modelo para llevarlo a cabo. Por otra parte, se analizó el papel de moléculas activadoras del sistema inmune producidas por patógenos en la inducción de alergias alimentarias seleccionando el modelo kiwi-alternaria, y el papel de Alt a 1, alérgeno mayor de dicho hongo, en la sensibilización a Act d 2, alérgeno mayor de kiwi. En resumen, el presente trabajo presenta una investigación innovadora aportando resultados de gran utilidad tanto para la mejora del diagnóstico como para nuevas investigaciones sobre la alergia y el esclarecimiento final de los mecanismos que caracterizan esta enfermedad. ABSTRACT Allergies are increasing their prevalence from mid twentieth century, and they are currently estimated to affect around 2-8% of the population but the underlying causes of this increase remain still elusive. The understanding of the mechanism by which a harmless protein becomes capable of inducing an allergic response provides us the basis to prevent and treat these diseases. Although the characterization of relevant allergens has led to improved clinical management and has helped to clarify the basic mechanisms of allergic reactions, it seems justified in aspiring to molecularly dissecting these allergens to establish the structural basis of their allergenicity and cross-reactivity. The aim of this thesis was to characterize the molecular basis of the allergenicity of model proteins belonging to different families (Lipid Transfer Proteins –LTPs-, and Thaumatin-like Proteins –TLPs-) in order to identify mechanisms that mediate sensitization and cross reactivity for developing new strategies in the management of allergy, both diagnosis and treatment, in the near future. With this purpose, two strategies have been conducted: studies of cross-reactivity among panallergen families and molecular studies of the contribution of cofactors in the induction of the allergic response by these panallergens. Following the first strategy, we studied the cross-reactivity among members of two plant panallergens (LTPs , Lipid Transfer Proteins , and TLPs , Thaumatin-like Proteins) using the peach allergy as a model. Similarly, we characterized the sensitization profiles to wheat allergens in baker's asthma development, the most relevant occupational disease. These studies were performed using allergen microarrays and the graph theory for analyzing the results. Regarding the second approach, we analyzed the interaction of plant allergens with immune and epithelial cells. To perform these studies , we examined the importance of ligands and co-transported molecules of plant allergens in the development of Th2 responses. To this end, Pru p 3, nsLTP (non-specific Lipid Transfer Protein) and peach major allergen, was selected as a model to investigate its interaction with cells of the human and murine immune systems as well as with the intestinal epithelium and the contribution of its ligand in inducing an allergic response was studied. Moreover, we analyzed the role of pathogen associated molecules in the induction of food allergy. For that, we selected the kiwi- alternaria system as a model and the role of Alt a 1 , major allergen of the fungus, in the development of Act d 2-sensitization was studied. In summary, this work presents an innovative research providing useful results for improving diagnosis and leading to further research on allergy and the final clarification of the mechanisms that characterize this disease.

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Este trabajo tiene por objeto la implementación del modelo ADM1 (The IWA Anaerobic Digestion Model No.1), para evaluar su capacidad de simular el proceso de digestión anaerobia de lodos de agua residual. Para implementar el modelo ADM1 se eligió el software Matlab y su herramienta Simulink, por su capacidad para simular sistemas dinámicos. Los resultados demostraron que la simulación a través de la implementación del modelo ADM1, es capaz de predecir la mayoría de los valores medios correspondientes a los parámetros de control más comunes del proceso de digestión anaerobia que se lleva a cabo en la Estación de depuración de aguas residuales (EDAR) sur de Madrid. Se deduce del estudio que la implementación del modelo ADM1 desarrollada mediante Matlab/Simulink, es capaz de simular el proceso dinámico de digestión anaerobia de cualquier EDAR, si se ajustan algunos de los parámetros del modelo para cada caso concreto. Abstract This work aims at the implementation of The IWA Anaerobic Digestion Model No.1 (ADM1) in order to assess its ability to simulate the anaerobic digestion process of wastewater sludge. A Matlab/Simulink implementation of the ADM1 was developed, the simulations results shows that the ADM1 is able to predict the average values of the most common control parameters of the anaerobic digestion process that takes place in the Waste water treatment plant (WWTP) south of Madrid. It is deduced of the estudy that the Matlab implementation of the ADM1 developed, is able to simulate the anaerobic digestion dynamic process of a WWTP, if some of the model parameters are fitted for each specific case.

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La presente investigación se presenta como una alternativa para la reducción de la contaminación por nutrientes que produce el vertido de aguas residuales provenientes de núcleos urbanos que acaban en lagos, lagunas o embalses acelerando los procesos de eutrofización de los mismos. El objetivo de esta tesis es analizar la reducción de nutrientes, fundamentalmente nitrógeno, fósforo y potasio, del agua residual doméstica sometida a tratamiento a través de cultivos hidropónicos en un determinado periodo de tiempo, observando a su vez la evolución del cultivo seleccionado. El sistema se diseñó para funcionar en circuito cerrado con el agua residual circulando por entre las raíces de los vegetales estudiados. El cultivo seleccionado fue el “kenaf”, aunque después de mucho tiempo dedicado a la obtención de semillas de “kenaf “por diferentes proveedores, se decidió comenzar un primer ensayo utilizando plantas de aloe vera durante un periodo de un mes de verano. Se procedió a la colocación de plantas en un tubo conteniendo agua residual de una fosa séptica domiciliaria. La reducción de la DBO5 y la DQO fue notable aunque los resultados de la variación de nitratos y fosfatos no fueron concluyentes. Las altas temperaturas alcanzada en esas fechas por el agua circulante, finalmente imposibilitó la continuación del ensayo. Si bien esta primera puesta en marcha no resultó como se esperaba, aportó numerosa información para modificar el planteo del estudio, la forma de llevarlo a cabo y la puesta a punto de la propia instalación. El segundo ensayo se llevó a cabo en otoño con plantas de kenaf obtenidas del ensayo previo en suelo en una parcela piloto en los llanos de Villamartín, en la provincia de Cádiz. Antes de incorporar el agua al sistema hidropónico se analizaron todos los parámetros requeridos por la normativa española del agua para determinar su clasificación como agua residual doméstica. Luego se le dio seguimiento a la variación de los nutrientes, nitrógeno, fósforo y potasio a lo largo de varias semanas para evaluar la efectividad del tratamiento. Las plantas de kenaf continuaron su desarrollo utilizando las sustancias disueltas en el agua residual como única fuente de nutrientes disponible. This research is presented as an alternative to reduce the pollution that wastewater discharges from towns generate when they end in lakes, ponds and reservoirs, by accelerating the eutrophication processes. The objective of this thesis is to analyze the reduction of nutrients, mainly nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, of domestic wastewater treated through hydroponics crops in a given period of time, noting at the same time the evolution of the selected crop. The system was designed to operate in closed circuit with the wastewater circulating through the roots of the studied plants. The selected crop was "kenaf", although after much time spent in obtaining seeds of "kenaf"by different vendors and the impossibility of achieving its germination; it was decided to start a first test using Aloe Vera plants for a period of one month in the summer. The plants were introduced in the holes of a tube containing septic wastewater. The BOD5 and COD reduction was remarkable though the results of the variation in nitrates and phosphates were inconclusive. High temperatures achieved in those dates by circulating water, eventually precluded the continuation of the test. Although this first implementation was not running as expected, it provided information to modify the proposal of the study, the way to carry it out and the development of the installation itself. The second test was conducted in autumn with kenaf plants obtained from the previous test in a pilot plant in the flatness of Villamartín, province of Cádiz. Before adding the water to the hydroponic system all the parameters required by the Spanish water regulations were analyzed to determine their classification as domestic waste water. Then, the variation of nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium was tracking over several weeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment. Kenaf plants continued its development using the substances dissolved in wastewater as sole source of nutrients available.

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Methyl jasmonate is a plant volatile that acts as an important cellular regulator mediating diverse developmental processes and defense responses. We have cloned the novel gene JMT encoding an S-adenosyl-l-methionine:jasmonic acid carboxyl methyltransferase (JMT) from Arabidopsis thaliana. Recombinant JMT protein expressed in Escherichia coli catalyzed the formation of methyl jasmonate from jasmonic acid with Km value of 38.5 μM. JMT RNA was not detected in young seedlings but was detected in rosettes, cauline leaves, and developing flowers. In addition, expression of the gene was induced both locally and systemically by wounding or methyl jasmonate treatment. This result suggests that JMT can perceive and respond to local and systemic signals generated by external stimuli, and that the signals may include methyl jasmonate itself. Transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing JMT had a 3-fold elevated level of endogenous methyl jasmonate without altering jasmonic acid content. The transgenic plants exhibited constitutive expression of jasmonate-responsive genes, including VSP and PDF1.2. Furthermore, the transgenic plants showed enhanced level of resistance against the virulent fungus Botrytis cinerea. Thus, our data suggest that the jasmonic acid carboxyl methyltransferase is a key enzyme for jasmonate-regulated plant responses. Activation of JMT expression leads to production of methyl jasmonate that could act as an intracellular regulator, a diffusible intercellular signal transducer, and an airborne signal mediating intra- and interplant communications.

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Intracellular protein transport between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus and within the Golgi apparatus is facilitated by COP (coat protein)-coated vesicles. Their existence in plant cells has not yet been demonstrated, although the GTP-binding proteins required for coat formation have been identified. We have generated antisera against glutathione-S-transferase-fusion proteins prepared with cDNAs encoding the Arabidopsis Sec21p and Sec23p homologs (AtSec21p and AtSec23p, respectively). The former is a constituent of the COPI vesicle coatomer, and the latter is part of the Sec23/24p dimeric complex of the COPII vesicle coat. Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) inflorescence homogenates were probed with these antibodies and demonstrated the presence of AtSec21p and AtSec23p antigens in both the cytosol and membrane fractions of the cell. The membrane-associated forms of both antigens can be solubilized by treatments typical for extrinsic proteins. The amounts of the cytosolic antigens relative to the membrane-bound forms increase after cold treatment, and the two antigens belong to different protein complexes with molecular sizes comparable to the corresponding nonplant coat proteins. Sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation of microsomal cell membranes from cauliflower suggests that, although AtSec23p seems to be preferentially associated with ER membranes, AtSec21p appears to be bound to both the ER and the Golgi membranes. This could be in agreement with the notion that COPII vesicles are formed at the ER, whereas COPI vesicles can be made by both Golgi and ER membranes. Both AtSec21p and AtSec23p antigens were detected on membranes equilibrating at sucrose densities equivalent to those typical for in vitro-induced COP vesicles from animal and yeast systems. Therefore, a further purification of the putative plant COP vesicles was undertaken.

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The protein kinase CK2 (formerly casein kinase II) is thought to be involved in light-regulated gene expression in plants because of its ability to phosphorylate transcription factors that bind to the promoter regions of light-regulated genes in vitro. To address this possibility in vivo and to learn more about the potential physiological roles of CK2 in plants, we transformed Arabidopsis with an antisense construct of the CK2 α-subunit gene and investigated both morphological and molecular phenotypes. Antisense transformants had a smaller adult leaf size and showed increased expression of chs in darkness and of cab and rbcS after red-light treatment. The latter molecular phenotype implied that CK2 might serve as one of several negative and quantitative effectors in light-regulated gene expression. The possible mechanism of CK2 action and its involvement in the phytochrome signal transduction pathway are discussed.

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Plants contain RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) activities that synthesize short cRNAs by using cellular or viral RNAs as templates. During studies of salicylic acid (SA)-induced resistance to viral pathogens, we recently found that the activity of a tobacco RdRP was increased in virus-infected or SA-treated plants. Biologically active SA analogs capable of activating plant defense response also induced the RdRP activity, whereas biologically inactive analogs did not. A tobacco RdRP gene, NtRDRP1, was isolated and found to be induced both by virus infection and by treatment with SA or its biologically active analogs. Tobacco lines deficient in the inducible RDRP activity were obtained by expressing antisense RNA for the NtRDRP1 gene in transgenic plants. When infected by tobacco mosaic virus, these transgenic plants accumulated significantly higher levels of viral RNA and developed more severe disease symptoms than wild-type plants. After infection by a strain of potato virus X that does not spread in wild-type tobacco plants, the transgenic NtRDRP1 antisense plants accumulated virus and developed symptoms not only locally in inoculated leaves but also systemically in upper uninoculated leaves. These results strongly suggest that inducible RdRP activity plays an important role in plant antiviral defense.

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Recombinant cellulose-binding domain (CBD) derived from the cellulolytic bacterium Clostridium cellulovorans was found to modulate the elongation of different plant cells in vitro. In peach (Prunus persica L.) pollen tubes, maximum elongation was observed at 50 μg mL−1 CBD. Pollen tube staining with calcofluor showed a loss of crystallinity in the tip zone of CBD-treated pollen tubes. At low concentrations CBD enhanced elongation of Arabidopsis roots. At high concentrations CBD dramatically inhibited root elongation in a dose-responsive manner. Maximum effect on root hair elongation was at 100 μg mL−1, whereas root elongation was inhibited at that concentration. CBD was found to compete with xyloglucan for binding to cellulose when CBD was added first to the cellulose, before the addition of xyloglucan. When Acetobacter xylinum L. was used as a model system, CBD was found to increase the rate of cellulose synthase in a dose-responsive manner, up to 5-fold compared with the control. Electron microscopy examination of the cellulose ribbons produced by A. xylinum showed that CBD treatment resulted in a splayed ribbon composed of separate fibrillar subunits, compared with a thin, uniform ribbon in the control.

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Recently, the biosynthesis of an unusual membrane phospholipid, N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE), was found to increase in elicitor-treated tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) cells (K.D. Chapman, A. Conyers-Hackson, R.A. Moreau, S. Tripathy [1995] Physiol Plant 95: 120–126). Here we report that before induction of NAPE biosynthesis, N-acylethanolamine (NAE) is released from NAPE in cultured tobacco cells 10 min after treatment with the fungal elicitor xylanase. In radiolabeling experiments [14C]NAE (labeled on the ethanolamine carbons) increased approximately 6-fold in the culture medium, whereas [14C]NAPE associated with cells decreased approximately 5-fold. Two predominant NAE molecular species, N-lauroylethanolamine and N-myristoylethanolamine, were specifically identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in lipids extracted from culture medium, and both increased in concentration after elicitor treatment. NAEs were found to accumulate extracellularly only. A microsomal phospholipase D activity was discovered that formed NAE from NAPE; its activity in vitro was stimulated about 20-fold by mastoparan, suggesting that NAPE hydrolysis is highly regulated, perhaps by G-proteins. Furthermore, an NAE amidohydrolase activity that catalyzed the hydrolysis of NAE in vitro was detected in homogenates of tobacco cells. Collectively, these results characterize structurally a new class of plant lipids and identify the enzymatic machinery involved in its formation and inactivation in elicitor-treated tobacco cells. Recent evidence indicating a signaling role for NAPE metabolism in mammalian cells (H.H.O. Schmid, P.C. Schmid, V. Natarajan [1996] Chem Phys Lipids 80: 133–142) raises the possibility that a similar mechanism may operate in plant cells.

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O presente trabalho foi realizado em duas fases. Na primeira, foram estimados os efeitos produzidos nos decantadores primários de uma ETE, após receber resíduo da ETA-SC, que utiliza sulfato de alumínio como coagulante. Foram realizados ensaios em colunas de sedimentação, onde os parâmetros SST, SSV, cor, turbidez, DQO, coliformes totais, Escherichia coli e parasitas, pesquisados no sobrenadante, diminuíram com o aumento da quantidade de resíduo adicionado. Com relação aos sedimentos obtidos nas colunas de sedimentação, foi encontrada maior quantidade de ST e menor resistência específica nos lodos provenientes das colunas que receberam os resíduos da ETA-SC. No teste de atividade metanogênica, a concentração molar de metano foi reduzida nos sistemas que receberam resíduo da ETA-SC, influenciando negativamente no desenvolvimento dos microrganismos metanogênicas. As espécies de microrganismos do gênero Methanothrix sp foram inibidas, sendo encontradas em maior número no frasco-reator controle e em menor quantidade a medida que se aumentou a quantidade do resíduo adicionado. Nesta etapa foi constatado que o resíduo da ETA-SC poderá apresentar interferências negativas sobre a digestão anaeróbia do lodo produzido em decantadores primários de uma ETE. Na segunda fase, na estação piloto, composta de lagoa de aeração seguida de lagoa de sedimentação, que recebeu resíduo da ETA-Fonte, que utiliza cloreto férrico como coagulante, foi verificado que tal resíduo melhorou a qualidade do efluente em termos de DQO, DBO, SST, turbidez, cor, amônio, nitrato, NTK e fosfato total. Os parâmetros ST, SDT, cloreto, nitrito, condutividade e pH não apresentaram diferenças significativas. Em relação ao exame microscópico não houve influências negativas no licor misto das lagoas de aeração. O lodo formado nas lagoas de sedimentação piloto apresentou-se em maior quantidade na lagoa que recebeu resíduo da ETA-Fonte. Neste lodo a resistência específica a filtração foi menor em comparação ao lodo da lagoa que não recebeu resíduo da ETA-Fonte. A desidratação deste lodo por centrifugação necessitou menor quantidade de polieletrólito. Baseado neste estudo não foi verificado interferências que possa impedir o lançamento do resíduo da ETA-Fonte na ETE-Araraquara.