The search for alternative landfill operation and management strategies has triggered the development of the concept of a landfill as a bioreactor. The application of the concept requires the recirculation of liquids and hence a better understanding of fluid flow and transport processes that are strongly controlled by the physical structure of the media. It is generally accepted that as a result of the deposition in progressive layers, compaction and heterogeneity; solid waste develops a strong and anisotropic structure. Also, that due to their flat shape and orientation, materials such as plastics and textiles can influence flow behavior. The aim of this research was to provide a better understanding of the structure that develops when solid wastes are landfilled and the influence of this structure on fluid flow. The research included a characterization and description of specimens of raw household waste (MSW) and pretreated wastes (MBT) using PSD mathematical models, an study of the changes caused to particle size and shape by degradation processes, a study of the effect that flat shaped particles have on the fluid flow characteristics of a porous medium, and an investigation of the structure of a MSW specimen applying invasive and non-invasive radiographic techniques. The study revealed that the characteristics of particle size and shape differ between waste materials and also change with degradation. An MBT specimen that had gone a dual anaerobic aerobic treatment showed statistically insignificant changes in particle size and shape with degradation, whilst partially treated MBT and MSW specimens showed significant changes in the particle size and in the content of flat shaped materials. PSD models were successfully fitted to the different specimens investigated suggesting that analytical expressions can be incorporated into existing waste behavioural mathematical models to characterise the particle size. Flat shaped particles that comply to be at least 15 times larger than the matrix particles and constitute at least 7.3% by dry mass were found to reduce the hydraulic conductivity by a factor of more than 30%. The reduction factor is controlled by the relative content and size of the intrusive particles and it is always within one order of magnitude. The use of dye tracer visualization, thin sectioning and μCT techniques were pioneered during this research for the study of preferential flow and the structure in solid waste. This study evidenced that the presence of high content of inert coarse flat shaped materials in a specimen of MSW resulted in the development of a strongly layered structure, with large pores horizontally connected and that favoured preferential flow.

Anaerobic digestion of source segregated domestic food waste (SS-DFW) offers a sustainable management route for reclaiming potential energy in the form of a fuel gas, and nutrients which can be recycled back to land. However, the biochemical characteristics of SS-DFW can lead to free ammonia nitrogen (FAN) concentrations that are inhibitory to the digestion process causing unstable operation and in some cases complete process failure, particularly in thermophilic systems. With the purpose of reducing the total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN) in the digester, side-stream and in situ biogas stripping technologies were tested. Mesophilic and thermophilic temperatures were evaluated under moderate and complete biogas mixing rates (0.4 l min-1 – 2.6 l min-1) in a batch system. Laboratory investigations showed that TAN reductions in an in situ bubbling reactor with moderate and complete gas mixing rates were non-existent at mesophilic temperatures and minimal at thermophilic temperatures. For this reason, it is unlikely that in situ biogas stripping would be adequate to prevent TAN concentrations greater than 2500 mg N l-1 in a food waste digester and thus will not mitigate ammonia inhibition in a thermophilic system. Semi-continuous trials carried out on SS-DFW in laboratory-scale digesters, fed daily at an organic loading rate (OLR) of 2 kg VS m-3 day-1 and coupled to stripping columns at low bleed rates (2 – 3.5 % digester volume per day treated in the stripping process) were effective in reducing ammonia concentrations to below thermophilic toxic levels (TAN concentration of 2500 – 3500 mg N l-1). The experiments also confirmed that removal of a proportion of the digester contents and their exposure to thermophilic conditions with pH adjustment to 10 had no adverse effects on performance in terms of biogas production (0.83 ± 0.03 l g-1 VS without stripping, 0.84 ± 0.05 l g-1 VS with stripping) or VS destruction (81.8 % without stripping, 88.5 % with stripping). The process required high pH and temperature (≥70 ⁰C) to achieve a TAN concentration below the toxic threshold for thermophilic digestion, and it is unlikely that stripping at 55 ⁰C and pH 10 would achieve the target reduction. The research showed the way forward for the application of side-stream stripping to prevent the build-up of ammonia under thermophilic conditions, if the digester is started up with a non-inhibitory FAN concentration in the inoculum.

The EU landfill directive requires the amount of wastes going to landfills to be reduced signifi-cantly in compliance with the sustainable waste management principles. However, the disposal has been and will continue to play a significant role, and the overall aim is an improved design and operation of the landfill sites, and reduction of their negative environmental impact towards sustainable landfilling. Waste has been recognised by other researchers as the primary structural element in landfills; therefore for better understanding of its behaviour, the physical and engineering properties of its components must be well known. The main aspect of this research was focused on investigation of particle compressibility and its effect on the overall compressibility and settlement of the waste body. A methodology to measure particle compressibility in saturated conditions at various stress levels was developed, using synthetic deformable materials and mechanically-biologically treated (MBT) waste. MBT waste sample with particle size reduced to 9 mm showed a response to loading similar to soils, hence soil mechanics principles will be applicable. Simultaneously, a categorisation of different types of pre-treated wastes was carried out by some of their physical and geometrical properties. The results were interconnected into a newly developed waste classifcation system, which allowed an assessment and comparison of their geomechanical and flow properties, and predict to some extent their futurebehaviour in landfills. About a third of the MBT samples by mass comprised a matrix (�ne material of <5 mm) into which the larger particles were embedded. The large 2D elements (mainly presented by plastics, glass and metal foils) will play an important role for stability and flow transportation, taking about 25% by mass. On one hand, they will have a reinforcing effect but on the other, they will modify, divert, or impede the flow paths in the waste which may result in reduced permeability or preferential flows. Highly compressible synthetic materials were also used to simulate the deformable materials in landfills (such as hollow 3D elements). They tend to embed into each other and form a horizontal highly dense structure which reduces significantly or completely the volume of voids. In large scale, this will lead to modified or blocked the flow paths and hence reduce the flow rates and impede the flushing of contaminants in landfills. Compressible particles reach their maximum compressibility at certain stress thresholds and progressively change their shape from 3D compressible to 2D incompressible. At the end of the study, a simplified phase relationship model was suggested, considering changes in the solid phase due to both particle compressibility and decomposition. The applicability of the conventional effective stress theory on highly compressible materials was questioned as well.

Hydraulic conductivity is a measurement of the ease of movement of a fluid through a medium and is therefore a key parameter in the design of landfill leachate management systems. Hydraulic conductivity of landfilled wastes may be affected by several factors such as overburden stress from the weight of overlying waste, water content, the type, age and pre-processing of the waste, and the presence of landfill gas. A further factor that may affect leachate movement through wastes is the predominantly horizontal orientated structure of compacted wastes. This anisotropic structure may result in hydraulic conductivity in the horizontal direction being greater than that in the vertical direction. However existing research has been effectively limited to evaluating hydraulic conductivity in a single plane and so the presence of anisotropic flow in waste remains unproven. Consequently, modelling of leachate and contaminant movement in landfills may be compromised by the use of isotropic, or assumed anisotropic, hydraulic conductivity values. The object of this research has been to assess for the first time the inherent anisotropy of two different waste samples by measuring and comparing the vertical and horizontal hydraulic conductivities over a range of stresses typical of landfill conditions. In this thesis, factors affecting the measurement of hydraulic conductivity of wastes are discussed, and details of the samples tested and test methodology are given. The results of the tests are shown and alternative test methods are discussed. The effects of gas accumulation and pore water pressure on waste hydraulic conductivity encountered during testing are also reported as further research has developed from this important finding.

A considerable amount of work has been conducted developing exposure estimate models for quantitative evaluation of Hg intake and human health risks, but few have assessed the applicability and the validity for evaluating the risks posed by Hg in the environment and have achieved very mixed results. The present study focused on verifying the daily Hg intake estimates using exposure estimate models. Deterministic methods and the probabilistic methods (the Monte Carlo) were applied to simulate the daily Hg intake doses which were verified by comparing the estimates to those established from measured Hg concentrations in the hair of 289 participants. The results showed that the single-value deterministic method for simulating Hg exposure levels overestimated the level of risk by a factor of 1.5 when compared with the highest concentration of the Hg observed in the hair of the study population. The average daily Hg intake doses simulated using the probabilistic simulation were similar in distribution to the biomarker data, with the variability of 23%. The difference between the probabilistic simulation and the data derived from hair Hg levels was considered to be most likely due to the uncertainties in unconfirmed questionnaire-based survey data, small sampling sizes and the surrogates used in the exposure models. When the reference dose (RfD) of 0.1 μg/kg body weight/day was adopted as the acceptable dose for daily intake rate, there were approximately 19% estimated to have potential Hg exposure risks based on the Monte Carlo simulation. This percentage was favourably similar to the 17% determined from Hg concentrations in the hair samples. The findings implied that the existing exposure models together with the probabilistic approach were appropriate for the research of human exposure to Hg. On the other hand, low Hg levels in the participants’ hair indicated that Hg accumulated in the study population was not very serious, probably due to the good Hg absorptivity of the on-site fly ash. However, it should be advised that consumption of river fish elevates the health risks to the local population.

Nos últimos tempos no Brasil a crescente produção e descarte de resíduos sólidos tem sido uma preocupação para os órgãos ambientais, prefeituras municipais e governos federal e estaduais. Desta forma, intensificar estudos nestas áreas se faz necessário com vistas a incrementar informações sobre o cenário atual. Este trabalho apresenta a visão dos resíduos sólidos e do aterro sanitário, seu destino final, pela ótica de um grupo de moradores do município de Porto Alegre-RS, através da percepção do seu meio ambiente. Valorizando o aprendizado, imaginação, memória e a bagagem experiencial individual, faz uma análise interpretativa das diferentes visões de mundo dos técnicos, da população da capital e dos moradores vizinhos do Aterro Sanitário da Extrema, tendo como foco central o lixo produzido pela sociedade local. O estudo utiliza o método fenomenológico para extrair das manifestações a essência da compreensão individual e obter as opiniões pessoais, as semelhantes, as controvérsias e os conflitos como expressão das sensibilidades dos atores sociais. Lixo ou resíduo? O que esse grupo de moradores pensa e sabe sobre isso, como valoriza e como se insere na produção dos resíduos domiciliares? O que conhece sobre gestão, tratamento e destinação final? Como o Aterro Sanitário da Extrema é percebido pelos moradores? Essas são algumas questões apuradas e retratadas na pesquisa e que permite ponderar sobre o espaço vivido e o espaço construído, mediado pelo conceito de geograficidade fundamentado nas quatro categorias: topofilia, topofobia, topocídio e topo-reabilitação. / Lately in Brazil the increasing waste production and discarding have been a concern to environmental agencies, county administrations, and state or federal governments. This makes necessary more studies on the subject, producing information on the present situation. This work presents how the question of solid wastes and sanitary landfills is perceived in the environment by a group of residents of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. An interpretative analysis is made, through the different visions of technicians, county residents and neighbors to the Extrema Sanitary Landfill, focused on the waste produced by the local society, and valuing learning, imagination, memory and individual experiences. This study used the phenomenological method to extract from these perceptions the deep individual awareness, obtaining private, common, controversial and opposing opinions, as expressions of the sensibility of the social players. Garbage or waste? What this group of residents think and know, how they value and how they place themselves in the production of household residues? What they know on management, treatment, and end destination? How the Extrema Sanitary Landfill is perceived by residents? These are some of the questions investigated in this research, allowing a thought on the living space and on the built space, mediated by the concept of geographic insertion, with its four categories: topophilia, topophobia, topocide, and topo-rehabilitation.

Atualmente, existem diversos produtos cosméticos de base nanotecnológica disponíveis no mercado nacional, incluindo protetores solares, produtos para a prevenção do envelhecimento cutâneo, ou ainda, produtos que veiculam uma ampla gama de componentes. Em contrapartida ao grande interesse industrial, várias organizações não governamentais têm expressado a sua preocupação acerca das incertezas do impacto dos novos nanomateriais sobre a saúde humana e sobre as possíveis aplicações e implicações sociais dessa nova tecnologia. Além disso, tem sido amplamente questionada a adequação dos atuais sistemas regulatórios governamentais no que diz respeito aos produtos oriundos da nanotecnologia. De fato, mundialmente, não existem requisitos específicos para o registro de produtos cosméticos de base nanotecnológica, sendo a análise realizada, de maneira geral, caso a caso. Dentro desse contexto, esse estudo traçou uma descrição do perfil da produção industrial de produtos cosméticos de base nanotecnológica no Brasil, buscando avaliar a disponibilidade dos mesmos no mercado nacional e a sua segurança de uso com base na análise das matérias primas constituintes dos produtos, determinação do seu diâmetro de partícula e dados disponíveis na literatura. Em uma última etapa, foram propostos alguns parâmetros para a regulação de produtos cosméticos de base nanotecnológica no Brasil, em especial, no que diz respeito à classificação dos produtos e a rotulagem dos mesmos. / There are a number of nanocosmetic products in the domestic market today, including sunblock, products for prevention against skin aging, or even products which circulate in a wide range components. Running counter to major industrial interests, many non-governmental organizations have expressed their concern regarding the uncertainties of the impact new nanomaterials may have on human health as well as the possible applications and social implications that this new technology may bring. Moreover, the adaptation of current governmental regulations has widely come under scrutiny regarding products stemming from nanotechnology. In fact, worldwide, there are no specific requirements to register nanotechological cosmetic products, as each is generally analyzed on a case by case basis. Within this context, this study traced the profile of the industrial production of nanotechnological cosmetic products in Brazil, with the aim of assessing the availability of these products in the domestic market and their safe usage based on the analysis of the raw materials which make up the products, the determining of particle diameter, and the data available in the literature. In the final stage, some parameters for the regulation of nanotechnological cosmetic products in Brazil are proposed, especially as regards the classification and labeling of products.

A Vigilância Sanitária (VISA) compõe, contemporânea e institucionalmente, o campo de ação da Saúde Coletiva no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde denominado de Vigilância em Saúde. As ações de VISA são conduzidas pelo Sistema Nacional de VISA, onde coexiste uma multiplicidade de formas de implementá-las, resultando em uma heterogênea capacidade de eliminar, diminuir e prevenir riscos à saúde, bem como de intervir em problemas sanitários. Essas variações indicam a necessidade de um processo de avaliação sistemático e abrangente para a VISA, apontando diferenças e desigualdades nas formas de implementar suas ações e superando as fragilidades presentes na avaliação vigente. Esta tese propõe um método para a avaliação da VISA, tendo como principais características: avaliar a implantação da VISA com um propósito formativo; incorporar as diretrizes e subdiretrizes propostas pelo Plano Diretor de VISA; basear-se em um modelo sociológico inter-relacionado e multidimensional, composto pelas dimensões Adaptação (A), Alcance de Metas (M), Processos de Trabalho (P) e manutenção da Cultura e Valores (CV); investigar medidas de desempenho e sua dinâmica; caracterizar metas de VISA, distinguindo-as de seus processos de trabalho; propor a avaliação da Segurança em Cadeias de Risco; produzir e integrar informações sobre a VISA em nível operacional, gerencial e estratégica; caracterizar qualitativamente as relações entre dimensões a partir de um modelo explicativo, que permite a proposição de ações de melhoria em uma perspectiva estratégica; permitir investigar e incorporar as posições de diferentes grupos avaliativos. O método foi aplicado em um estudo de caso em nível municipal, permitindo avaliar a implantação da VISA em relação ao entendimento de técnicos de VISA, gestores e de conselheiros de saúde. A avaliação conduzida indicou um desempenho Global regular (MBGlobalB=5,4) da VISA no município A, conformada a partir de desempenhos também regulares nas quatro dimensões que compõem o modelo, indicando a necessidade de adequações nas ações de VISA, o que contrasta com a adequada avaliação institucional vigente, reforçando a fragilidade desta em avaliar a VISA. / The Sanitary Surveillance (VISA) composes, contemporary and institutionally the Public Health action field, in the Brazilian Health System ambit denominated Health Surveillance. VISA actions are driven by a National System, where coexists a multiplicity of ways of implementing it, resulting in a heterogeneous capacity to eliminate, to decrease and to prevent health risks, as well as intervening in sanitary problems. Those variations indicate the need of a systematic and including evaluation process to VISA, showing differences and inequalities in the why of implementing its actions and overcoming difficulties in present evaluation. This thesis proposes a method for the VISA evaluation, having as main characteristics: to evaluate the implantation with a formative purpose; to incorporate the guidelines and sub guidelines proposals for the VISA’s Director Plan; to be based in an interrelated and multidimensional sociological model, composed by Adaptation (A), Goals reach (M), Work Processes (P) and Culture and Values maintenance (CV) dimensions; to investigate performance measures and its dynamic; to characterize VISA’s goals, distinguishing them of its work processes; to propose the Security evaluation in Risk Chains; to produce and to integrate information about VISA in operational, managerial and strategic level; to characterize relationships among dimensions in a qualitative way, starting from an explanatory model, that allows the proposition of improvement actions in a strategic perspective; allow to investigate and to incorporate different evaluative groups positions. The method was applied in a case study at municipal level, what allowed evaluating VISA implantation in relation to VISA technicians, managers and health counselors understanding. The driven evaluation indicated a regulate VISA Global performance (MBGlobalB=5,4) in A municipal district, conformed from also regular performances in the four dimensions that compose the model, indicating the need of adaptations in VISA actions, what contrasts with the appropriate effective institutional evaluation, reinforcing its fragility in VISA’s evaluation.

p. 1 - 95 / Submitted by Santiago Fabio (fabio.ssantiago@hotmail.com) on 2013-01-23T18:41:40Z No. of bitstreams: 1 666666.pdf: 448801 bytes, checksum: 42dd2dd25aad8b4bd602a50c8462ca03 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-01-23T18:41:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 666666.pdf: 448801 bytes, checksum: 42dd2dd25aad8b4bd602a50c8462ca03 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Este estudo analisa os fatores que interferem na descentralização das ações de Vigilância Sanitária nos municípios baianos em Gestão Plena do Sistema, identificando impasses e desafios na assunção das suas responsabilidades, enquanto gestores plenos do sistema de saúde municipal. Trata-se de uma pesquisa exploratória, de natureza qualitativa, descritiva, tendo utilizado o estudo de caso como estratégia de pesquisa. Os dados foram coletados através de entrevistas e análise de documentos e analisados à luz do conceito de descentralização enquanto fenômeno de natureza política por envolver transferência de poder do estado e ser por esta razão indutora de conflitos nas relações entre as esferas de governo da Federação brasileira. Os resultados evidenciaram que, embora venham sendo superados muitos obstáculos para estruturação das vigilâncias sanitárias municipais no gerenciamento do risco sanitário, e, conseqüentemente, para a promoção e proteção da saúde, ainda são muitos os desafios que se apresentam para a consolidação da VISA nestes municípios. Isto porque as insuficiências crônicas de recursos de toda natureza, além da histórica disputa de poder entre a instância estadual e municipal na tomada de decisão sobre ações e recursos para a saúde, se aprofunda na medida em que também se consolida o poder dos municípios na assunção de suas competências gerenciais na área da saúde decorrentes do processo de descentralização da saúde. Ao agregar evidências empíricas sobre o processo de descentralização da vigilância sanitária, este estudo busca contribuir para o fortalecimento desse processo no Estado da Bahia, na perspectiva da reorganização das estratégias para implementação das ações da VISA nos municípios baianos no sentido de superar os limites e impulsionar os avanços já adquiridos. / Salvador

p. 1-102 / Submitted by Santiago Fabio (fabio.ssantiago@hotmail.com) on 2013-04-10T18:23:59Z No. of bitstreams: 1 tese seg 01.pdf: 3278405 bytes, checksum: a1f6dce4daf8c8bf747cf356d5aa8b2e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Rodrigo Meirelles(rodrigomei@ufba.br) on 2013-04-13T19:54:42Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 tese seg 01.pdf: 3278405 bytes, checksum: a1f6dce4daf8c8bf747cf356d5aa8b2e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-04-13T19:54:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 tese seg 01.pdf: 3278405 bytes, checksum: a1f6dce4daf8c8bf747cf356d5aa8b2e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / O consumo de hortaliças cruas constitui um importante meio de transmissão de várias doenças infecciosas, dentre estas se destacam aquelas provocadas por bactérias patogênicas, ocasionando com freqüência surtos de Doenças Veiculadas por Alimentos (DVA). Deficiências no controle em qualquer uma das etapas da produção podem comprometer a qualidade sanitária das hortaliças. Nas hortas existentes em nosso meio observam-se práticas agrícolas inadequadas durante a produção das hortaliças, dentre estas a utilização de água contaminada, comprometendo a qualidade final dos produtos. Desta forma, torna-se necessário o controle durante todas as etapas que precedem o consumo, incluindo a lavagem e sanitização adequadas destes vegetais. O cloro é um dos principais agentes sanitizantes permitido pela legislação brasileira, porém atualmente, seu uso vem sendo contestado devido à possibilidade da formação de substâncias carcinogênicas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade higiênico-sanitária de hortas, hortaliças e água de irrigação e a eficácia sanitizante de produtos contendo ácidos orgânicos de cadeia curta sobre linhagens de Escherichia coli inoculadas artificialmente em alface. Foram investigadas cinco hortas, 140 amostras de hortaliças distribuídas entre alface, coentro, couve e hortelã, e 45 amostras de água de irrigação. Para avaliação da qualidade sanitária das hortas foi aplicado um “checklist” e para avaliar as hortaliças e águas de irrigação foram conduzidas análises microbiológicas pertinentes. Em etapa posterior, foi investigada a eficácia sanitizante de ácidos orgânicos de cadeia curta sobre duas linhagens de Escherichia coli inoculadas separadamente em alface e em seguida submetidas aos tratamentos por 15 minutos, empregando soluções de vinagre de álcool, suco de limão, mistura suco de limão e vinagre (1:1) e mistura suco de limão,vinagre e água (1:1:1). Os resultados demonstraram que 40% das hortas apresentam condições higiênico-sanitárias totalmente insatisfatórias e as análises microbiológicas revelaram elevados índices de contaminação por coliformes termotolerantes nas hortaliças com 82% de amostras contaminadas, contagens entre < 0,3 a 1500 NMP/g, presença de E. coli em 32% das amostras e ausência de Salmonella spp. Na água de irrigação também foram encontrados índices elevados de coliformes termotolerantes, com 87% de amostras contaminadas, contagens entre < 2 a 2100 NMP/100 mL, e presença de E. coli em 56% das amostras. Um total de 69% das amostras das águas não atendeu ao padrão vigente para coliformes termotolerantes. Os resultados obtidos a partir do check-list não foram condizentes com as análises microbiológicas. Quanto aos tratamentos com as soluções antimicrobianas, verificou-se que não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa (p<0,05) entre os agentes testados, contudo, as maiores reduções decimais (RD) foram obtidas com o tratamento empregando suco de limão e vinagre sobre a cepa E. coli O157: H7, valor médio de 3,25 ciclos logarítimicos. Para a cepa E. coli-Ls o melhor tratamento foi aquele empregando o vinagre, alcançando uma RD de 1,51 ciclos log. Dos resultados apresentados conclui-se que é necessária uma maior atenção por parte das autoridades competente na produção de hortaliças, para o fornecimento de alimentos seguros à população. Quanto ao uso das soluções antimicrobianas, conclui-se que se trata de uma boa opção em substituição ao uso do cloro na sanitização de hortaliças folhosas, necessitando, entretanto de mais estudos para a sua viabilização junto às indústrias de alimentos e serviços de alimentação. / Salvador