MENVSC / Department of Ecology and Resource Management / See the attached abstract below

Abandoned mines present considerable environmental risks through the release of toxic metals, particularly into adjacent water bodies. The implementation of reliable geotechnical cut-off walls containing bentonite stands as a crucial strategy in mitigating environmental groundwater contamination. This study evaluates the viability of employing the methylene blue titration method to quantify bentonite content in till samples, with the objective of verifying the assumed bentonite content (3.5%) and exploring the impact of sample preparation on bentonite content determined through titrations. Bentonite, known for its swelling properties and high cation exchange capacity, was introduced into till samples both in laboratory settings and on-site. The methylene blue titration method was utilized to measure bentonite content in these samples. Laboratory results indicated significant variations in bentonite content depending on the sample preparation method, with methods employing soil homogenization proving more effective in quantifying bentonite accurately. The study's findings support the hypothesis that the methylene blue method can reliably quantify bentonite in till soil samples with the correct preparation in a laboratory environment. On-site analysis exhibited larger variations and deviations in bentonite content quantifications compared to laboratory-based incorporations. Additionally, on-site incorporated samples demonstrated a statistically significant difference in bentonite content compared to laboratory-incorporated samples, highlighting the method's sensitivity and need for future research. This research contributes valuable insights into leveraging methylene blue titration for quantifying bentonite in till soils, crucial for establishing geotechnical barriers to control toxic metal output from mines.

This thesis focuses on the synthesis and characterisation of organoclays. X-ray diffraction has been used to study the changes in the basal spacings of montmorillonite clay and surfactant-intercalated organoclays. Variation in the d-spacing was found to be a step function of the surfactant concentration. Three different molecular environments for surfactant octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (ODTMA) within the surface-modified montmorillonite are proposed upon the basis of their different decomposition temperatures. High-resolution thermogravimetric analysis (HRTG) shows that the thermal decomposition of montmorillonite modified with ODTMA takes place in four steps attributing to dehydration of adsorbed water, dehydration of water hydrating metal cations, loss of surfactant and the loss of OH units respectively. In addition, it has shown that the decomposition procedure of DODMA and TOMA modified clays are very different from that of ODTMA modified ones. The surfactant decomposition takes place in several steps in the DODMA and TOMA modified clays while for ODTMA modified clays, it shows only one step for the decomposition of surfactant. Also TG was proved to be a useful tool to estimate the amount of surfactant within the organoclays. A model is proposed in which, up to 0.4 CEC, a surfactant monolayer is formed between the montmorillonite clay layers; up to 0.8 CEC, a lateral-bilayer arrangement is formed; and above 1.5 CEC, a pseudotrimolecular layer is formed, with excess surfactant adsorbed on the clay surface. While for dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DODMA) and trioctadecylmethylammonium bromide (TOMA) modified clays, since the larger sizes of the surfactants, some layers of montmorillonite are kept unaltered because of steric effects. The configurations of surfactant within these organoclays usually take paraffin type layers. Thermal analysis also provides an indication of the thermal stability of the organoclay as shown by different starting decomposition temperatures. FTIR was used as a guide to determine the phase state of the organoclay interlayers as determined from the CH asymmetric stretching vibration of the surfactants to provide more information on surfactant configurations. It was used to study the changes in the spectra of the surfactant ODTMA upon intercalation into a sodium montmorillonite. Surfaces of montmorillonites were modified using ultrasonic and hydrothermal methods through the intercalation and adsorption of the cationic surfactant ODTMA. Changes in the surfaces and structure were characterized using electron microscopy. The ultrasonic preparation method results in a higher surfactant concentration within the montmorillonite interlayer when compared with that from the hydrothermal method. Both XRD patterns and TEM images demonstrate that SWy-2-Namontmorillonite contains superlayers. TEM images of organoclays prepared at high surfactant concentrations show alternate basal spacings between neighboring layers. SEM images show that modification with surfactant will reduce the clay particle aggregation. Organoclays prepared at low surfactant concentration display curved flakes, whereas they become flat with increasing intercalated surfactant. Fundamentally this thesis has increased the knowledge base of the structural and morphological properties of organo-montmorillonite clays. The configurations of surfactant in the organoclays have been further investigated and three different molecular environments for surfactant ODTMA within the surface-modified montmorillonite are proposed upon the basis of their different decomposition temperatures. Changes in the spectra of the surfactant upon intercalation into clay have been investigated in details. Novel surfactant-modified montmorillonite results in the formation of new nanophases with the potential for the removal of organic contaminants from aqueous media and for the removal of hydrocarbon spills on roads.

Submitted by Johnny Rodrigues (johnnyrodrigues@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-04-06T20:35:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ILIANA DE OLIVEIRA GUIMARÃES - TESE PPG-CEMat 2014..pdf: 50160837 bytes, checksum: 767ec5c57ef7319ccbd6b2d10571ff53 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-06T20:35:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ILIANA DE OLIVEIRA GUIMARÃES - TESE PPG-CEMat 2014..pdf: 50160837 bytes, checksum: 767ec5c57ef7319ccbd6b2d10571ff53 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-08-29 / Capes / O processo Bayer, utilizado para a obtenção de alumina, usa bauxita como matériaprima. Este processo abrange quatro estágios: digestão, clarificação, precipitação e calcinação. O resíduo gerado na etapa de calcinação é um produto com pequeno tamanho de partícula, conhecido como ESP dust. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo desenvolver membranas cerâmicas tubulares utilizando em sua composição o ESP dust, um pó de alumina do precipitador eletrostático, e uma argila bentonítica. Inicialmente, foi realizada a caracterização dos precursores. Foram analisadas duas amostras do resíduo, uma do resíduo bruto e outra do resíduo calcinado a 1200°C. Essas amostras apresentaram um alto teor de alumina nas suas composições químicas. As fases gibbsita e α-alumina foram identificadas no resíduo bruto e, após sua calcinação, a gibbsita foi totalmente transformada em α-alumina. Observou-se que não houve alterações significativas no tamanho e morfologia das partículas após a calcinação, mas durante este processo, as partículas tornaram-se porosas, provavelmente devido às mudanças de fase cristalina da alumina e a saída de água dos cristais. Dentre vinte formulações diferentes testadas para produzir membranas cerâmicas, quatro composições apresentaram os melhores resultados com relação ao processamento por extrusão: duas composições com o resíduo bruto e duas com o resíduo calcinado. Neste trabalho, as membranas tubulares compostas pelo resíduo de alumina e pela argila bentonítica foram produzidas por extrusão e foram sinterizadas a 900, 1000 e 1100°C. Foi observado que as membranas produzidas apresentaram superfícies com poros distribuídos. A porosidade aparente variou entre 47,70% (composição com 60% de resíduo calcinado e 40% de argila bentonítica sinterizada a 1000°C) e 58,40% (composição com 70% de resíduo bruto e 30% de argila bentonítica sinterizada a 1000°C). Foram realizados ensaios de fluxo tangencial com água deionizada em pressões de 1,0; 1,5 e 2,0 Bar. O maior fluxo permeado (909,24L/h.m2) foi observado para as membranas feitas da composição contendo 70% de resíduo bruto e 30% de argila bentonítica sinterizadas a 1100°C, aplicando pressão de 1 Bar. / The Bayer process uses bauxite as raw material to obtain alumina. This process includes four stages: digestion, clarification, precipitation and calcination. The waste generated during the calcination step is a product with small particle size, known as ESP dust. This research aimed to develop tubular ceramic membranes using in its composition the ESP dust, an alumina powder from electrostatic precipitator, and a bentonite clay. Initially, the characterization of the precursors was performed. Two samples were studied, one from crude residue and other from calcined residue at 1200°C. These samples showed a high content of alumina in chemical compositions. The gibbsite and α-alumina phases were identified in crude residue and after calcination gibbsite was completely transformed into α-alumina. Were observed no significant changes in particles size and morphology after calcination, but during this process, the particles become porous, probable due changes in crystalline phase of alumina and the water outlet of crystals. Among twenty different formulations tested to produce ceramic membranes, four compositions showed better results with regard to the extrusion processing: two compositions with crude residue and two with calcined residue. In this paper, tubular membranes produced from alumina residue and bentonite clay were sintered at 900, 1000 and 1100°C. It was observed that the produced membranes had surfaces with distributed pores. The apparent porosity was between 47.70% (composition with 60% of calcined residue and 40% of bentonite clay sintered at 1000°C) and 58.40% (composition with 70% of crude residue and 30% of bentonite clay sintered at 1000°C). Tangential flow tests were performed with deionized water at pressures of 1.0; 1.5 and 2.0 Bar. Higher permeate flow rate (909,24L/h.m2) was observed for membranes made of a composition containing crude residue (70%) and bentonite clay (30%) sintered at 1100°C, applying pressure of 1 bar.

Submitted by Emanuel Varela Cardoso (emanuel.varela@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-06-28T21:49:04Z No. of bitstreams: 1 KARINE CASTRO NÓBREGA – DISSERTAÇÃO (UAEMa) 2015.pdf: 1849613 bytes, checksum: c5a145f0dd677d54aab0ed55f6ccc4e9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-28T21:49:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 KARINE CASTRO NÓBREGA – DISSERTAÇÃO (UAEMa) 2015.pdf: 1849613 bytes, checksum: c5a145f0dd677d54aab0ed55f6ccc4e9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-23 / CNPq / A perfuração de poços de petróleo pode danificar fortemente a formação, incluindo a região de interesse: o reservatório. Perfurar sem que se danifique o reservatório caracteriza-se como um grande desafio, e por isso, tem sido estimulado o desenvolvimento de tecnologias de fluidos e otimização de processos de perfuração, incluindo, por exemplo, o uso de fluidos argilosos com vistas à minimização de perdas excessivas de filtrado para as formações permeáveis. Desta forma, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a influência dos aditivos carboximetilcelulose (CMC) e calcita (CaCO3) e suas interações nas propriedades de filtração de fluidos de perfuração argilosos. Para tanto, foi utilizada uma amostra de argila bentonítica, comercialmente conhecida por Volclay, duas amostras de CMC com diferentes massas molares (CMC 1 (9,0 x 104g/mol) e CMC 2 (2,5 x 105g/mol)) e mesmo grau de substituição (DS = 0,7) e, duas amostras de calcita (CaCO3), com diferentes diâmetros médios de partículas e curvas de distribuição em tamanho. Foram realizadas a caracterização física e mineralógica da amostra de argila e a caracterização granulométrica das amostras de calcita, em seguida determinadas as propriedades reológicas (viscosidades aparente (VA) e plástica (VP), limite de escoamento (LE) e força gel (FG)) e de filtração (volume de filtrado (VF), volume de filtrado corrigido (VFcorr), spurt loss (SPL), espessura (h) e permeabilidade (k) do reboco e poder de retenção (R)) dos fluidos argilosos estudados. Os resultados evidenciaram que os fluidos estudados apresentaram comportamento pseudoplástico e os fluidos argilosos preparados com elevada concentração de CMC 2 (2g/350mL de água) apresentaram melhores valores de propriedades reológicas, pois estas propriedades são fortemente influenciadas pelo grau médio de polimerização dos aditivos poliméricos. A aditivação de fluidos argilosos com carboximetilcelulose de baixa massa molar e com calcita de granulometria fina conferiu aos fluidos melhor desempenho na melhoria das propriedades de filtração. Isto aconteceu, porque no meio aquoso a CMC 1 em elevada concentração associada a calcita 1 conduziu a menores valores de VF, h e k e, elevados valores de R. / The drilling of oil wells can greatly damage the formation, including the region of interest: the reservoir. Drilling without damaging the reservoir is characterized as a big challenge, and therefore, has been stimulated the development of fluid technologies and optimization of drilling processes, including, for example, the clay fluids use aiming at minimization excessive losses of the filtrate into the permeable formations. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the influence of additives carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and calcite (CaCO3) and their interactions in the filtration properties of clay drilling fluids. For this, it was used a sample of bentonite clay, commercially known by Volclay, two samples of CMC with different molecular weight (CMC 1 (9,0 x 104g/mol) and CMC 2 (2,5 x 105g/mol) ) and the same degree of substitution (DS = 0,7) and two samples of calcite (CaCO3) with different average diameters of particles and size distribution curves. It was done the physical and mineralogical characterization of the clay sample and the particle size characterization of the calcite samples it was also determined the rheological properties (apparent viscosity (AV) and plastic (PV), yield limit (YL) and gel strength (GS)) and of filtration (filtrate volume (FV), filtrate volume corrected (FVcorr), spurt loss (SPL), cake thickness (h) and permeability (k) and retaining power (R)) of the studied clay fluids. The results showed that the studied fluids showed pseudoplastic behavior and clay fluids prepared with high concentration of CMC 2 (2g/350mL of water) showed better values of rheological properties, because these properties are strongly influenced by the average degree of polymerization of polymeric additives. The additived clay fluids with low molecular weight carboxymethylcellulose and with fine granulometry calcite gave the fluids best performance in improving the filtration properties. This happened because in the aqueous medium the CMC 1 in high concentration associated at calcite 1 led at lower values of FV, h and k and high values of R.

In my work, I dealt with the development of building technology project for multi-functional building in Olomouc Tabulový Vrch. The goal is to select and develop appropriate design of the building in terms of financial, time and technical requirements based on the technical documentation provided by the designer. Building technology project includes a study of implementation of main technological stages, object, time and financial plan, drawings site equipment, site equipment technical report, technical regulations, inspection and test plan, financial budget for the construction of the technological steps, the schedule, the draft report and not machine prescription number for safety in the implementation of reinforced concrete monolithic skeleton including security risks.