Processo de inclusão digital em rede empresarial do segmento de suprimentos industriais: utilização de tecnologias de informação e comunicação

Apresenta resultados de estudo realizado com 17 empresas de representação comercial do segmento de suprimentos industriais de produtos técnicos de borracha. Foram aplicados questionários e os resultados delinearam o modus operandi das empresas quanto à gestão da informação considerando infra-estrutura tecnológica e utilização de tecnologias de informação e comunicação. Aborda questões como gestão da informação para a tomada de decisão, redes de informação em pequenas e médias empresas, gestão do conhecimento e educação corporativa. Finaliza com ferramentas tecnológicas que apóiam o ensino-aprendizagem e sugere a inclusão empresarial como alternativa de capacitação para o desenvolvimento e promoção da cidadania na nova sociedade da informação e do conhecimento.

Contaminação por mercúrio no Brasil: fontes industriais vs garimpo de ouro

This paper reviews the history of Hg contamination in Brazil by characterizing and quantifying two major sources of Hg emissions to the environment: industrial sources and gold mining. Industry was responsible for nearly 100% of total Hg emissions from the late 1940's to the early 1970's, when efficient control policies were enforced, leading to a decrease in emissions. Gold mining, on the other hand was nearly insignificant as a Hg source up to the late 1970's, but presently is responsible for over 80% of total emissions. Presently, over 115 tons of Hg are released into the atmosphere in Brazil annually. Nearly 78 tons come from gold mining operations, 12 tons come from chlor-alkali industry and 25 tons come from all other industrial uses. Inputs to soils and waters however, are still unknown, due to lack of detailed data base. However, emissions from diffuse sources rather than well studied classical industrial sources are probably responsible for the major inputs of mercury to these compartments.

Novas tendências para o tratamento de resíduos industriais contendo espécies organocloradas

The toxic character of organochloride compounds, their habitual presence in many industrial effluents, and mainly the low efficiency of the current remediation processes, are important aspects that have been promoted to study new degrading technologies. Among the great number of new physical and chemical alternatives, the photochemical and electrochemical processes have been played an important role, mainly due to their high degradation capacity through relatively low-cost procedures. In these contexts biological processes, the use of white-rot fungi, or even ligninolytic enzymes produced from them, are also very promising alternatives. However, the necessity of long reaction time and the high cost of the enzyme production process are some of the drawbacks that difficult the definitive consolidation of these processes.

O perfil profissional do químico frente às novas realidades das organizações industriais

The objective of this paper is to reflect about the professional profile required of chemists by the chemical industry employing new management practices. This paper includes: a) historical synthesis of the appropriation of chemical knowledge by the industrial sector, b) a discussion of today's industrial organization and a comparison between the professional profile of chemists as expected by the taylorist and fordist standards of production and that expected in the context of flexibilization and globalization of production.

Remoção de metais pesados de efluentes industriais por aluminossilicatos

This review had as aim the bibliography research for the use of aluminosilicates to remove heavy metals from wastewaters. Advanced studies based on parameters that have influence for removal of heavy metals as pH, metal concentration, effect of ligants and removal capacity of zeolites and clays, were reported. These studies demonstrate that aluminosilicates can be successfully used for the removal of heavy metals under the optimized conditions.

Tratamento de efluentes industriais por processos oxidativos na presença de ozônio

A large variety of organic and inorganic compounds may be found in wastewater which can contribute to environmental contamination. Oxidation processes with ozone (O3; O3/UV; O3/H2O2; O3/TiO2; O3/Mn+2) and the use of ozone in the pre- or post-treatment of wastewater combined with biological processes has been extensively studied for the treatment of effluents. The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of the ozonation process in the treatment of several industrial wastewaters, namely effluents from paper mills, and textile, whey (dairy industry), pharmaceutic sand pesticides plants.

Terras raras: aplicações industriais e biológicas

The history of the rare earths is rich in innovation and these elements have been the object of study of a number of scientists. Rare earths are used practically in almost all aspects of life and these applications are due to their outstanding properties, mainly spectroscopic and magnetic. In industry, the applications of rare earths are many, such as in catalysis, phosphors, magnetism, glass and lasers. In biological systems, rare earths are used, for example, as luminescent probes in the investigation of binding sites in proteins, labels in immunoassays and in noninvasive tests.

Aplicação da tecnologia de eletrofloculação na recuperação do corante índigo blue a partir de efluentes industriais

The indigo blue dye is widely used in the textile industry. When discarded, besides polluting the environment, it affects the appearance and transparency of aquatic bodies, causing damage to flora and fauna. The removal of this dye from industrial effluents is difficult due to its resistance towards degradation. This work proposes the recovery of indigo blue by electroflocculation, as a subsidy for the treatment of effluents from the jeans industry.

A importância do observatório de atividades industriais vis-à-vis tendências em ciência, tecnologia e inovação

Given that innovation is fundamental for competitiveness, and that it is intrinsically linked to knowledge, it has become essential to foster effective interaction between the Brazilian productive sector and universities and R&D centers. This interface should be created by means of the model used in developed countries: Observatory of Industrial Activities and Trends in Science, Technology and Innovation. The present work describes its main functions, using examples of activities undertaken by the Chemical Industry Information System of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro related to production systems of primary and high-tech industries, examining the diffusion of knowledge to decision-makers.

Lipases de látex vegetais: propriedades e aplicações industriais

Biocatalysts have innumerous advantages with respect to classical chemical processes, such as high specificity. Lipases (EC 3.1.1.3) are biocatalysts with large application in synthesis and hydrolysis reactions of triacylglycerols. The search for new sources of lipases has been intensified in the last years due to the high cost of microbial and animal lipases, wich restricts their use on an industrial scale. Lipases obtained from the latex of Carica papaya, Carica pentagona, Euphorbia characias, E. wulfenii, known for their proteolytic properties, are a good alternative source. In this review, we describe the well-known sources of vegetal lipases extracted from the latex and present some of their industrial applications.

Pectinases: aplicações industriais e perspectivas

Pectic substances are structural heteropolysaccharides that occur in the middle lamellae and primary cell walls of higher plants. They are composed of partially methyl-esterified galacturonic acid residues linked by alpha-1, 4-glycosidic bonds. Pectinolytic enzymes are complex enzymes that degrade pectic polymers and there are several classes of enzymes, which include pectin esterases, pectin and pectate lyases and polygalacturonases. Plants, filamentous fungi, bacteria and yeasts are able to produce pectinases. In the industrial world, pectinases are used in fruit juice clarification, in the production of wine, in the extraction of olive oil, fiber degumming and fermentation of tea, coffee and cocoa.

Determinação do teor de edta remanescente em soluções de limpeza de equipamentos industriais

Cleaning solutions containing EDTA are widely employed to remove incrustation despite of the costs involved. The free content of EDTA in commercial solutions may be determined by mixing an aliquot to ammonium oxalate and using a standard calcium solution as titrant. The end-point is detected by the formation of insoluble calcium oxalate after all EDTA is complexed. A system for turbidimetric detection of the end-point was envisaged to substitute the visual detection, which impaired the analyses of dark samples. The proposed method was tested with real samples and good accuracy and precision was obtained.

Processos avançados de oxidação de compostos fenólicos em efluentes industriais

In an effort to minimize the impact on the environment, removal of pollutants, such as phenolic compounds, from the industrial wastewater has great importance nowadays because of the high toxicity and low biodegradability of these compounds. This work discusses the different methods to remove these compounds from industrial wastewater, showing their advantages and disadvantages. Advanced Oxidation Process (AOPs) are presented as a promising technology for the treatment of wastewater containing phenolic compounds. Among the AOPs, photolysis, photocatalysis and the processes based on hydrogen peroxide and on ozone are discussed with emphasis on the combined processes and the oxidation mechanisms.

Caracterização das cinzas de incineração de resíduos industriais e de serviços de saúde

Three ash samples from an incinerator in Belo Horizonte (Brazil) were physically and chemically characterized. The chemical composition of the ashes was not always the same, neither in terms of the chemical species nor in terms of the quantities of those that are common to the three ashes. The ashes called CF1 and CF3D contain heavy metals above the detection limits of the analytical methods and the zinc concentration is high enough to justify treatment of the ashes. For these ashes, a high loss on ignition was found, indicating that the process of incineration might present failures.

Cutinases fúngicas: propriedades e aplicações industriais

Cutinases (EC 3.1.1.74) are also known as cutin hidrolases. These enzymes share catalytic properties of lipases and esterases, presenting a unique feature of being active regardless the presence of an oil-water interface, making them interesting as biocatalysts in several industrial processes involving hydrolysis, esterification and trans-esterification reactions. They are also active in different reaction media, allowing their applications in different areas such as food industry, cosmetics, fine chemicals, pesticide and insecticide degradation, treatment and laundry of fiber textiles and polymer chemistry. The present review describes the characteristics, potential applications and new perspectives for these enzymes.