Ghana, a West Africa country, is deeply burdened by poverty, and relies on the production of gold for economic sustainability. The gold mining companies in the country have international origins and receive most of their requirements from international sources. The extraction of gold from the crushed ore requires sodium cyanide as a lixiviant, which is imported into Ghana from other countries in wooden intermediate bulk containers (IBC) for further distribution to the mines. A life cycle assessment was completed to determine the burden that this packaging, which includes the wooden container and polyethylene and polypropylene liners, places on the environment in Ghana when disposed of. It was found that the life cycle of the incinerated IBC impacted on the Ghanaian environment the most, due to the incineration and the transportation of the IBC. The International Organization for Standardization 14040 management standard was used as a methodological framework for the assessment. / Environmental Science / M.Sc. (Environmental Science)

Ghana, a West Africa country, is deeply burdened by poverty, and relies on the production of gold for economic sustainability. The gold mining companies in the country have international origins and receive most of their requirements from international sources. The extraction of gold from the crushed ore requires sodium cyanide as a lixiviant, which is imported into Ghana from other countries in wooden intermediate bulk containers (IBC) for further distribution to the mines. A life cycle assessment was completed to determine the burden that this packaging, which includes the wooden container and polyethylene and polypropylene liners, places on the environment in Ghana when disposed of. It was found that the life cycle of the incinerated IBC impacted on the Ghanaian environment the most, due to the incineration and the transportation of the IBC. The International Organization for Standardization 14040 management standard was used as a methodological framework for the assessment. / Environmental Science / M.Sc. (Environmental Science)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / This work presents the synthesis of a series of 3-alkoxy-3-cyanopropanoic acids and 2-cyanotetrahydrofuran(2H-pyran)-3-carboxylic acids of general formula HO2CCH(R2)CR1(OR)CN, where R/R2= Et/H, Et/Me, -(CH2)2-, -(CH2)3-, iso-Pr/H, sec- Bu/H, iso-Pr/Me, sec-Bu/Me and R1= H, obtained through the reaction of β-alkoxyvinyl trichloromethyl ketones [Cl3CCOC(R2)=CR1(OR)] with sodium cyanide. The methodology used in the synthesis provided high selectivity to the reaction, being observed only the formation of the expected products, through a conjugated addition the cyanide to the β-carbon of the enones and substitution of the CCl3 group by the hydroxyl ion originated from the basic medium used in the reaction. The β-alkoxyvinyl trichloromethyl ketones where R/R2= Et/H, R1= OEt and R/R2= Et/Br, R1=H, when submitted the same reaction conditions, furnished the succinimide 3,3-diethoxypyrrolidine-2,5-dione and the maleimide 3-ethoxy-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione, respectively. In a second reaction, the synthesized 3-alkoxy-3-cyanopropanoic acids and 2- cyanotetrahydrofuran(2H-pyran)-3-carboxylic acids were used to obtain succinamic acids and succinic acids of general formula HO2CCH(R2)CR1(OR)CONH2 and HO2CCH(R2)CR1(OR)CO2H, respectively. The succinamic acids were formed by the spontaneous conversion of the cyano group to amide (partial hydrolysis) and the succinic acids were obtained by the total hydrolysis of the cyano group to carboxylic acid, under reflux and acid medium. / Este trabalho apresenta a síntese de uma série de ácidos 3-alcóxi-3-cianopropanóicos e 2-cianotetraidrofuran(2H-piran)-3-óicos de fórmula geral HO2CCH(R2)CR1(OR)CN, onde R/R2= Et/H, Et/Me, -(CH2)2-, -(CH2)3-, iso-Pr/H, sec-Bu/H, iso-Pr/Me, sec-Bu/Me e R1= H, obtidos através da reação de β-alcoxivinil triclorometil cetonas [Cl3CCOC(R2)=CR1(OR)] com cianeto de sódio. A metodologia empregada na síntese proporcionou alta seletividade à reação, sendo observada somente a formação do produto esperado, via adição conjugada de cianeto no carbono-β das enonas e substituição do grupo CCl3 pelo íon hidróxido proveniente do meio básico utilizado na reação. As β-alcoxivinil triclorometil cetonas, onde R/R2=Et/H, R1= OEt e R/R2= Et/Br, R1= H, quando submetidas as mesmas condições de reação, produziram a succinimida 3,3-dietoxipirrolidino-2,5-diona e a maleimida 3-etóxi-1H-pirrol-2,5-diona, respectivamente. Em um segundo momento, os ácidos 3-alcóxi-3-cianopropanóicos e 2-cianotetraidrofuran(2H-piran)-3-óicos sintetizados foram empregados na obtenção de ácidos succinâmicos e de ácidos succínicos, representados estruturalmente por HO2CCH(R2)CR1(OR)CONH2 e HO2CCH(R2)CR1(OR)CO2H, respectivamente. Os ácidos succinâmicos formaram-se pela conversão espontânea do grupo ciano para amida (hidrólise parcial) e os ácidos succínicos foram obtidos por reação de hidrólise total do grupo ciano para ácido carboxílico, sob refluxo e meio ácido.