In the field of chemical and biological sensors, the increased need for better sensitivity, faster response and higher selectivity during an analysis process, requires the development of more and more efficient transducing sensing layers. In this context, and with the aim to detect small non-electroactive molecules, such as atrazine (ATZ), we designed, characterized and developed sensing layers constituted by functionalized Molecularly Imprinted Conducting Polymers (MICP) and we integrated them into electrochemical and gravimetrical sensors. Starting from acetonitrile pre-polymerization media containing ATZ as template molecules in the presence of thiophene-based functional monomers (FM, namely TMA, TAA, EDOT, TMeOH or Th), differently functionalized and structurally different polythiophene-based FM-MICP films were electrosynthesized onto gold substrates and used for ATZ detection. The sensing properties of FM-MICP layers were shown to result from the presence in their backbones of pre-shaped FM-functionalized imprinted cavities which keep the memory of the targets. Nevertheless, non-specific adsorption onto the surface of the sensing layers takes place systematically, which affects the selectivity of the recognition process. Thanks to surface characterization techniques, we highlighted the influence of the thickness and of the structural properties of the layers on the efficiency of the recognition process. Besides, this latter was shown to operate in the bulk of the polymer matrixes thanks to layers porosity. On another hand, electrochemical measurements correlated with semi-empirical calculations demonstrated the influence of the nature of FM on the strength of the ATZ-FM interaction in the pre-polymerization medium, and then on the number of ATZ molecular imprints and on the sensitivity towards ATZ of the FM-MICP layers. We showed that TAA-MICP, which presents a low limit of detection (10-9 mol L-1) and a large dynamic range (10-8 to 10-4 mol L-1), is the best sensing layer since it offers the best compromise between high level of specific detection of ATZ and low level of non-specific adsorption. Finally, TAA-MICP was used as sensitive layer in an original Electrochemical Surface Acoustic Wave sensor (ESAW) which enabled simultaneous coupled gravimetric and electrochemical measurements.

This master thesis explored washing with water grades and lipase as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional detergents containing surfactants. On hydrophilic surfaces, purified water can remove fat through roll-up mechanism, initiated by electrostatic repulsion forces. On hydrophobic surfaces, purified water alone cannot remove fat as there are no electrostatic repulsion forces. However, addition of lipase might promote degreasing through solubilization. Lipases are only activated when encountering an oil-water interface. Once activated, lipases can hydrolyze carboxylic ester bonds in fats. The aim of this project was to evaluate if addition of lipase from Rhizopus niveus (RNL) to water grades (such as ultrapure water, DIRO, and tap water) can enhance their cleaning efficiency to remove fat-based stains from hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces. An interesting phenomenon was observed in contact angle measurements. On hydrophilic surface, some solutions with high RNL concentration caused the oil droplet to divide into several droplets. The involved mechanisms are yet unknown. Gravimetric analysis showed a significant increase in cleaning efficiency in most samples (except tap water) after addition of RNL. Also, the effect of interfacial changes became significant. Multiple cycle washing, with repeated interfacial changes and high rate of fat removal, was more efficient than single cycle washing. In the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) measurements, RNL had a significant effect on the frequency and dissipation data. Observed changes when washing with RNL, suggest that apart from the cleaning promoted by interfacial changes, also enzymatic cleaning was occurring. Unfortunately, the calculated cleaning efficiencies reveal that addition of RNL did not increase the cleaning efficiency in this specific washing test. To obtain extensive understanding of RNL’s behavior and activity in water grades, as well as the effect of RNL on different surfaces (without or with fats involved), further experiments are necessary.

Esta tese de doutorado teve como foco principal das análises, as atividades de gestão e gerenciamento dos resíduos de serviços de saúde na Unidade de Gerenciamento de Recursos Hídricos 22, Pontal do Paranapanema - SP. A hipótese formulada foi de que não havia conhecimento técnico em manejo de resíduos de serviços de saúde. Nos municípios, foram analisados a gestão e o gerenciamento dos resíduos de serviços de saúde em 19 municípios bem como as atividades das vigilâncias sanitárias municipais e o gerenciamento interno e externo dos resíduos de serviços de saúde de 77 estabelecimentos geradores, distribuídos nesses municípios, a saber: unidades básicas de saúde, prontos socorros e laboratório de análises clínicas. O estudo abrangeu também as atividades da Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo e do Comitê de Bacia Hidrográfica. As técnicas empregadas para a realização desta pesquisa foram: coleta de dados (emprego de questionário, formulário e observação); pesquisa bibliográfica (teses, livros, artigos) e documental (leis, normas, contratos, planos municipais de saúde e plano de gerenciamento dos resíduos de serviços de saúde - PGRSS); caracterização gravimétrica e classificação dos resíduos de serviços de saúde gerados pelos estabelecimentos municipais, durante o período de oito dias, como preconiza a Organização Pan-Americana de Saúde, aliada à Resolução CONAMA nº. 358/05. A pesquisa demonstrou que todos os 19 municípios contrataram empresas especializadas, terceirizando a coleta, o transporte, o tratamento e a disposição final dos resíduos de serviços de saúde. Além disso, foram verificadas dificuldades das vigilâncias sanitárias municipais em relação, às atividades de fiscalização, monitoramento e controle de resíduos de serviços de saúde, principalmente devido à transferência da gestão plena às vigilâncias sanitárias municipais pelo governo do Estado de São Paulo. Quanto ao gerenciamento interno dos resíduos de serviços de saúde nos estabelecimentos geradores, constatou-se a dificuldade em segregar resíduos do grupo A (infectantes) dos integrantes do grupo D (comuns), tendo sido constatada uma média de 15% de resíduos considerados comuns junto aos infectantes. A pesquisa revelou ainda, em relação aos procedimentos adotados, um aspecto preocupante do ponto de vista do cumprimento da RDC ANVISA nº 306/04, uma vez que 97,4% dos estabelecimentos não possuíam o PGRSS. A infraestrutura para abrigar os resíduos de serviços de saúde dentro das normas técnicas nos estabelecimentos geradores é quase inexistente, considerando que tal instalação foi verificada em somente 6,49% dos 77 estabelecimentos geradores. Diante dos resultados, confirmou-se, por fim, a ausência de capacitação técnica voltada ao manejo dos resíduos de serviços de saúde, na área de estudo desta pesquisa, corroborando a hipótese inicialmente estabelecida. / This thesis had as main focus of the analysis, management activities and management of health care waste at the division of water resources unit 22, Pontal do Paranapanema - SP. The hypothesis was that there was not any technical knowledge about health care waste management. It was analyzed the management and health care waste of 19 municipalities as well as all the activity of sanitary surveillance and the internal and external management of health care waste from 77 generators institutions within these municipalities namely: basic health units, emergency rooms and clinical laboratories. The study also focused on the activities of the Environmental Company of S ão Paulo and Watershed Committee. Among the methodological procedures for the research were used: data collection, bibliographic and documental research, gravimetrical characterization and classification of the waste generated by municipal health facilities, for eight days, based on the Pan American Health Organization together with CONAMA Resolution 358/05.The research found that all counties had hired specialized companies, outsourcing the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of health care waste. The survey also revealed difficulties in the municipal health surveillance regarding the fiscalization activities, health care waste monitoring and controlling, mainly due to the transition of the full management to municipal health surveillance of the State of Sao Paulo. Regarding internal the health care waste, the survey found that municipalities had difficulties in the procedure for waste segregation between group A and group D, since it was observed approximately 15% of common waste among infectious waste. Regarding the procedures adopted to carry out the internal management of health care waste, the study showed an worrying aspect from the standpoint of compliance with ANVISA RDC 306/04, since 97,4% of the health facilities had no waste management plan. The infrastructure to shelter the health care waste was almost nonexistent, visits to these facilities found the existence in only 6,49% of 77 waste generators. Considering the results, we concluded the absence of technical training focused on waste management of health facilities in the researched area, supporting the hypothesis initially established.

Esta tese de doutorado teve como foco principal das análises, as atividades de gestão e gerenciamento dos resíduos de serviços de saúde na Unidade de Gerenciamento de Recursos Hídricos 22, Pontal do Paranapanema - SP. A hipótese formulada foi de que não havia conhecimento técnico em manejo de resíduos de serviços de saúde. Nos municípios, foram analisados a gestão e o gerenciamento dos resíduos de serviços de saúde em 19 municípios bem como as atividades das vigilâncias sanitárias municipais e o gerenciamento interno e externo dos resíduos de serviços de saúde de 77 estabelecimentos geradores, distribuídos nesses municípios, a saber: unidades básicas de saúde, prontos socorros e laboratório de análises clínicas. O estudo abrangeu também as atividades da Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo e do Comitê de Bacia Hidrográfica. As técnicas empregadas para a realização desta pesquisa foram: coleta de dados (emprego de questionário, formulário e observação); pesquisa bibliográfica (teses, livros, artigos) e documental (leis, normas, contratos, planos municipais de saúde e plano de gerenciamento dos resíduos de serviços de saúde - PGRSS); caracterização gravimétrica e classificação dos resíduos de serviços de saúde gerados pelos estabelecimentos municipais, durante o período de oito dias, como preconiza a Organização Pan-Americana de Saúde, aliada à Resolução CONAMA nº. 358/05. A pesquisa demonstrou que todos os 19 municípios contrataram empresas especializadas, terceirizando a coleta, o transporte, o tratamento e a disposição final dos resíduos de serviços de saúde. Além disso, foram verificadas dificuldades das vigilâncias sanitárias municipais em relação, às atividades de fiscalização, monitoramento e controle de resíduos de serviços de saúde, principalmente devido à transferência da gestão plena às vigilâncias sanitárias municipais pelo governo do Estado de São Paulo. Quanto ao gerenciamento interno dos resíduos de serviços de saúde nos estabelecimentos geradores, constatou-se a dificuldade em segregar resíduos do grupo A (infectantes) dos integrantes do grupo D (comuns), tendo sido constatada uma média de 15% de resíduos considerados comuns junto aos infectantes. A pesquisa revelou ainda, em relação aos procedimentos adotados, um aspecto preocupante do ponto de vista do cumprimento da RDC ANVISA nº 306/04, uma vez que 97,4% dos estabelecimentos não possuíam o PGRSS. A infraestrutura para abrigar os resíduos de serviços de saúde dentro das normas técnicas nos estabelecimentos geradores é quase inexistente, considerando que tal instalação foi verificada em somente 6,49% dos 77 estabelecimentos geradores. Diante dos resultados, confirmou-se, por fim, a ausência de capacitação técnica voltada ao manejo dos resíduos de serviços de saúde, na área de estudo desta pesquisa, corroborando a hipótese inicialmente estabelecida. / This thesis had as main focus of the analysis, management activities and management of health care waste at the division of water resources unit 22, Pontal do Paranapanema - SP. The hypothesis was that there was not any technical knowledge about health care waste management. It was analyzed the management and health care waste of 19 municipalities as well as all the activity of sanitary surveillance and the internal and external management of health care waste from 77 generators institutions within these municipalities namely: basic health units, emergency rooms and clinical laboratories. The study also focused on the activities of the Environmental Company of S ão Paulo and Watershed Committee. Among the methodological procedures for the research were used: data collection, bibliographic and documental research, gravimetrical characterization and classification of the waste generated by municipal health facilities, for eight days, based on the Pan American Health Organization together with CONAMA Resolution 358/05.The research found that all counties had hired specialized companies, outsourcing the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of health care waste. The survey also revealed difficulties in the municipal health surveillance regarding the fiscalization activities, health care waste monitoring and controlling, mainly due to the transition of the full management to municipal health surveillance of the State of Sao Paulo. Regarding internal the health care waste, the survey found that municipalities had difficulties in the procedure for waste segregation between group A and group D, since it was observed approximately 15% of common waste among infectious waste. Regarding the procedures adopted to carry out the internal management of health care waste, the study showed an worrying aspect from the standpoint of compliance with ANVISA RDC 306/04, since 97,4% of the health facilities had no waste management plan. The infrastructure to shelter the health care waste was almost nonexistent, visits to these facilities found the existence in only 6,49% of 77 waste generators. Considering the results, we concluded the absence of technical training focused on waste management of health facilities in the researched area, supporting the hypothesis initially established.

This work presents and argues the characterization of the urban solid residues generated in Maceió-AL, by means of laboratory and field assays, searching to contribute for operational improvements in the system of urban cleanness of the city. The residues had been collected monthly from routes previously defined, in the period of one year, in eight different quarters, representing each one of these an administrative region and existing partner-economic classroom in the city. In the total sixty and nine collections had been carried through, of March of 2006 the February of 2007. In the field assays, carried through in the landfill of Maceió, specific weight and gravimetrical composition had been evaluated the parameters; in the laboratory (LSA) of the Federal University of Alagoas had been carried through the following parameters physicist-chemistries: pH, solids (fixed, volatile and total) and text of humidity. The gotten data had demonstrated that the average gravimetrical composition of the solid residues is of 56,6% of organic substance, to 8.9% of paper/cardboard, 13.5% of plastic, 1.7% of metals, 1.3% of glasses, wooden 1.5% leather/rubber and 2.6% of rags and 13.8% of lands and similes. The composition average physicist-chemistry for the organic substance presented pH equal the 4,8, volatile humidity of 75,0%, solids equal 77.7%, and fixed solids of 22,3%. It is concluded that the urban solid residues of Maceió present of 56,6% of organic substance, with potential to be used in the compostagem, and 25,4% of material potentially you recycle, correspondents the paper/cardboard, plastics, metals and glasses, making possible the public power to implant a program of selective collection for recycling of these materials. / Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Alagoas / Este trabalho apresenta e discute a caracterização dos resíduos sólidos urbanos gerados em Maceió-AL, por meio de ensaios de campo e de laboratório, buscando contribuir para melhorias operacionais no sistema de limpeza urbana da cidade. Os resíduos foram coletados mensalmente a partir de rotas previamente definidas, no período de um ano, em oito bairros diferentes, representando cada um destes uma região administrativa e classe sócio-econômica existente no município. No total foram realizadas sessenta e nove coletas, de março de 2006 a fevereiro de 2007. Nos ensaios de campo, realizados no lixão de Maceió, foram avaliados os parâmetros peso específico e composição gravimétrica; e no laboratório de Saneamento Ambiental (LSA) da Universidade Federal de Alagoas foram realizados os seguintes parâmetros físico-químicos: pH, sólidos (fixos, voláteis e totais) e teor de umidade. Os dados obtidos demonstraram que a composição gravimétrica média dos resíduos sólidos é de 56,6 % de matéria orgânica, 8,9% de papel/papelão, 13,5% de plástico, 1,7% de metais, 1,3% de vidros, 1,5% de madeira/couro/borracha e 2,6% de trapos e 13,8% de terras e similares. A composição físico-química média para a matéria orgânica apresentou pH igual a 4,8, umidade 75,0%, sólidos voláteis igual a 77,7%, e sólidos fixos de 22,3%. Conclui-se que os resíduos sólidos urbanos de Maceió apresentam 56,6% de matéria orgânica putrescível, com potencial para ser utilizada na compostagem, e 25,4% de materiais potencialmente recicláveis, correspondentes a papel/papelão, plásticos, metais e vidros, possibilitando o poder público implantar um programa de coleta seletiva para reciclagem desses materiais.

Dans le domaine des capteurs chimiques et biologiques, les besoins toujours croissants en termes de sensibilité, de rapidité et de sélectivité de l’analyse nécessitent le développement de couches sensibles transductrices de plus en plus performantes. Dans ce contexte et dans l’optique de pouvoir détecter de petites molécules non électroactives, telles que l’atrazine (ATZ), nous avons conçu, caractérisé et développé des couches sensibles constituées de polymères conducteurs fonctionnalisés à empreintes moléculaires (MICP) et les avons intégrées au sein de capteurs électrochimiques et gravimétriques. A partir de solutions d’acétonitrile contenant de l’ATZ, molécule empreinte en interaction avec des monomères fonctionnels dérivés du thiophène (FM = TMA, TAA, EDOT, TMeOH ou Th), différents polythiophènes FM-MICP de structures et de fonctionnalités différentes ont été électrosynthétisés sur substrats d’or et utilisés pour la détection de l’ATZ. Nous avons montré que les propriétés de reconnaissance des FM-MICP résultaient de la présence en leur sein d’empreintes moléculaires, fonctionnalisées par les résidus FM, qui conservaient la mémoire géométrique et fonctionnelle des molécules cibles. Néanmoins, une adsorption non-spécifique se produit systématiquement à la surface des couches sensibles et affecte par conséquent la sélectivité de la reconnaissance. Les techniques de caractérisation de surface employées nous ont permis de mettre en évidence l’influence de l’épaisseur et des propriétés structurales des couches sensibles sur l’efficacité de la détection. En outre, nous avons montré que du fait de la porosité de la couche polymère, le processus de reconnaissance se produisait en volume. Par ailleurs, des mesures électrochimiques corrélées à des calculs semi-empiriques ont permis de démontrer l’influence de la nature de FM d’abord sur la force de l’interaction ATZ-FM au sein de la solution de pré-polymérisation, ensuite sur le nombre d’empreintes moléculaires et enfin sur la sensibilité des FM-MICP vis-à-vis de l’ATZ. La couche TAA-MICP, qui présente un faible seuil de détection (10-9 mol L-1) ainsi qu’une large gamme dynamique (10-8 à 10-4 mol L-1), est la plus performante des couches sensibles puisqu’elle offre le meilleur compromis entre une détection spécifique de l’ATZ relativement élevée et une adsorption non-spécifique relativement faible. Enfin, le TAA-MICP a été utilisé comme couche sensible au sein d’un capteur électrochimique original à ondes acoustiques de surface (ESAW) dans l’optique de réaliser des mesures gravimétriques et électrochimiques couplées et simultanées. / In the field of chemical and biological sensors, the increased need for better sensitivity, faster response and higher selectivity during an analysis process, requires the development of more and more efficient transducing sensing layers. In this context, and with the aim to detect small non-electroactive molecules, such as atrazine (ATZ), we designed, characterized and developed sensing layers constituted by functionalized Molecularly Imprinted Conducting Polymers (MICP) and we integrated them into electrochemical and gravimetrical sensors. Starting from acetonitrile pre-polymerization media containing ATZ as template molecules in the presence of thiophene-based functional monomers (FM, namely TMA, TAA, EDOT, TMeOH or Th), differently functionalized and structurally different polythiophene-based FM-MICP films were electrosynthesized onto gold substrates and used for ATZ detection. The sensing properties of FM-MICP layers were shown to result from the presence in their backbones of pre-shaped FM-functionalized imprinted cavities which keep the memory of the targets. Nevertheless, non-specific adsorption onto the surface of the sensing layers takes place systematically, which affects the selectivity of the recognition process. Thanks to surface characterization techniques, we highlighted the influence of the thickness and of the structural properties of the layers on the efficiency of the recognition process. Besides, this latter was shown to operate in the bulk of the polymer matrixes thanks to layers porosity. On another hand, electrochemical measurements correlated with semi-empirical calculations demonstrated the influence of the nature of FM on the strength of the ATZ-FM interaction in the pre-polymerization medium, and then on the number of ATZ molecular imprints and on the sensitivity towards ATZ of the FM-MICP layers. We showed that TAA-MICP, which presents a low limit of detection (10-9 mol L-1) and a large dynamic range (10-8 to 10-4 mol L-1), is the best sensing layer since it offers the best compromise between high level of specific detection of ATZ and low level of non-specific adsorption. Finally, TAA-MICP was used as sensitive layer in an original Electrochemical Surface Acoustic Wave sensor (ESAW) which enabled simultaneous coupled gravimetric and electrochemical measurements.