Avaliação dos aspectos técnicos e econômicos na reutilização de efluentes da indústria farmacêutica

Abstract

Although Brazil does not have specific legislation that govern the reuse of industrial effluents and their possibilities of applications, industries have been searching for alternatives with less noble uses, such as irrigation and floor washing. In recent years the reuse of effluents in industry has been growing due to market competitiveness and to obtain environmental certifications. In this context, the reuse of water has become a matter of survival, in such a way that the industries started to foment the optimization of processes with the consequent reduction of costs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the operational and economic viability of the effluent reuse in the pharmaceutical industry, with the application of ultrafiltration processes. The research involved three steps: the first evaluated the ETEI performance through characterization of the effluents discharged in the sewer of CEDAE; the second step performed the ultrafiltration tests in laboratory-scale, with regarding on the efficiency of solids removal and the quality of the effluent obtained by separation process with membranes. The third step evaluated the economic aspects related to acquiring of ultrafiltration system in industrial scale and the operational cost involved. The results show that the ETEI of the pharmaceutical industry meet the standards established by environment state organ - INEA. In the second step the results showed that the separation process by ultrafiltration membrane was effective in the removal of turbidity and total suspended solids, with efficiencies of 99.9% and 97.9%, respectively. The ultrafiltration plant in lab scale considerably reduce the turbidity parameter, with maximum result of permeated of 0.2 uT. In this case is possible to reuse this effluent for floor washing, irrigation and toilets, regarding to parameters of USEPA (2012) and PROSAB (2006). In relation to total hardness parameter, pH and Langelier's and Ryznar's index, the effluent is not suitable to be used in boilers. In relation to economic aspects, the payback was estimated after 2.2 years of system operation, considering a generation of 200 m3 month-1 of reuse water, with an annual gross savings of R$ 126.120,00 (One hundred twenty six thousand one hundred twenty reais).