Bachelor’s degree in Environmental and Sanitary Engineering, Master’s and PhD in Civil Engineering.
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Water Science and Technology, Waste Management and Disposal, Environmental Engineering
6
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Analysis of Thermal and Catalytic Pyrolysis Processes in Belém: A Socioeconomic Perspective Fernanda Paula da Costa Assunção, Jéssica Cristina Conte da Silva, Fernando Felipe Soares Almeida, Marcelo Costa Santos, Simone Patrícia Aranha da Paz, et al. Energies, 2025 This study aims to assess the by-products generated through the thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of the organic matter and paper fractions of municipal solid waste (MSW) in different socioeconomic regions, through the yields of reaction products (bio-oil, biochar, H2O, and gas), acid value and chemical composition of bio-oils, and characterization of biochar, on a laboratory scale. The organic matter and paper segregated from the gravimetric composition of the total waste sample were subjected to drying, crushing, and sieving pre-treatment. The experiments were carried out at 450 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, and at 400 °C and 475 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, using a basic catalyst, Ca(OH)2, at 10.0% by mass, in discontinuous mode. The bio-oil was characterized by acidity value and the chemical functions present in the bio-oil identified by FT-IR, NMR, and composition by GC-MS. The biochar was characterized by SEM/EDS and XRD. The bio-oil yield increased with the addition of the catalyst and the pyrolysis temperature. For catalytic pyrolysis, bio-char and gas yields increased slightly with the Ca(OH)2 content, while bio-oil and H2O phases remained constant. The GC-MS of the liquid reaction products identified the presence of hydrocarbons and oxygenates, as well as nitrogen-containing compounds, including amides and amines. The acidity of the bio-oil decreased with the addition of the basic catalyst in the process. The concentration of hydrocarbons in the bio-oil appeared with the addition of the catalyst in the catalytic pyrolysis process as the catalytic deoxygenation of fatty acid molecules occurred, through decarboxylation/decarbonylation, producing aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, introducing the basic catalyst into the thermal process.
Metal Analysis of Leachate from the Organic Fraction of Urban Solid Waste (MSW) from the Municipality of Belém/PA Josiane Coutinho Mathews, Fernanda Paula da Costa Assunção, Diogo Oliveira Pereira, Jéssica Cristina Conte da Silva, Fernando Felipe Soares Almeida, et al. Sustainability Switzerland, 2024 In this study, the analysis of metals in the solubilized extract of the organic fraction of Urban Solid Waste (MSW) from the municipality of Belém do Pará was carried out. The waste used in this research was collected in residential areas, through door-to-door collection, with the points and neighborhoods served in the municipality of Belém determined by the sectorization of these locations, with family income as the main parameter. The MSW was collected and transported to the segregation area. Gravimetric analysis of MSW was carried out and the selected organic and paper fractions were subjected to drying, crushing and sieving pre-treatment. Next, the solubilized extract of the organic fraction of MSW was obtained following the method set out in NBR nº 10.006/2004 of the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards. The values obtained were compared with CONAMA Resolutions n° 357/2005, 396/2008 and 430/2011, in addition to being compared with results of bibliographical research. The results indicated that these wastes do not comply with environmental and health regulations. Although a highly significant association was found between chromium and boron through Pearson’s correlation, the remaining strong correlations between other elements did not reach statistical significance. Furthermore, a similarity was observed in the solubilization conditions of these wastes with those found in landfill leachate.
Analysis of the Gravimetric Composition of Urban Solid Waste from the Municipality of Belém/PA Gabriel Pereira Colares da Silva, Fernanda Paula da Costa Assunção, Diogo Oliveira Pereira, Jorge Fernando Hungria Ferreira, Josiane Coutinho Mathews, et al. Sustainability Switzerland, 2024 This article aimed to evaluate, using statistical tools, the generation and composition of municipal solid waste (MSW) in the city of Belém, Pará, from nine urban collection sectors in the municipality and the average nominal income of the population. Approximately 900 kg of urban solid waste was collected from the municipality in the period from 2021 to 2022. Statistical tests were carried out on hypotheses with 5% significance in comparative evaluations and their respective average nominal incomes. The results indicated that the organic fraction corresponded to 55.57% of the waste generated in the municipality, 14.26% was inert waste (potentially contaminating), and 0.67% was miscellaneous waste. It was observed that the waste generated by families with high purchasing power tended to contain higher percentages of recyclables while in families with lower purchasing power, the highest percentages tended to be organic. Knowledge of the generation of MSW is fundamental for the choice and dimensioning of operations and processes involved in the management chain at the municipal level. The decentralization of services offered based on solid waste management would enable greater success in serving the population.
Prediction of Leachate Characteristics via an Analysis of the Solubilized Extract of the Organic Fraction of Domestic Solid Waste from the Municipality of Belém, PA Diogo Oliveira Pereira, Fernanda Paula da Costa Assunção, Jéssica Cristina Conte da Silva, Jorge Fernando Hungria Ferreira, Raise Brenda Pinheiro Ferreira, et al. Sustainability Switzerland, 2023 This work aimed to predict the physical–chemical characteristics of leachate according to the analysis of the solubilized extract from urban household solid waste (UHSW), on a laboratory scale, in the city of Belém/PA, Brazil. The neighborhoods where the waste was collected were sectorized based on geographic and socioeconomic data, with family income as the main parameter. After collection, the material was sent to the segregation area, where a gravimetric analysis of the UHSW was performed and fractions (paper, cardboard, Tetra Pak, rigid plastic, malleable plastic, metals, glass, organic matter, sanitary waste, fabrics and rejects) were segregated. After the gravimetric characterization, it was found that the highest average proportions were 55.57% organic matter, 14.26% sanitary waste and 9.97% malleable plastic. The organic fraction was selected and subjected to drying, crushing, sieving and packaging pretreatment, and then the solubilized extract of this fraction was obtained according to NBR No. 10.006/2004 of the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards. In the analyses of the solubilized extract, values for total nitrogen (201.80 to 359.90 mg·L−1), ammonia nitrogen (161 to 289 mg·L−1), nitrate (10 to 40 mg·L−1) and chemical oxygen demand were obtained (28,701 mg·L−1 to 38,608 mg·L−1), indicating the similarity of the waste solubilization conditions to those of leachate from landfills, in addition to being in noncompliance with environmental and health legislation, thus making it necessary to have an efficient waste management system, which avoids the release of waste into the environment that would result in environmental impacts similar to those of leachate contact with the environment.
A Systematic Approach to Thermochemical Treatment of Municipal Household Solid Waste into Valuable Products: Analysis of Routes, Gravimetric Analysis, Pre-Treatment of Solid Mixtures, Thermochemical Processes, and Characterization of Bio-Oils and Bio-Adsorbents Fernanda Assunção, Diogo Pereira, Jéssica Silva, Jorge Ferreira, Kelly Bezerra, et al. Energies, 2022 This work aims to investigate the effect of process temperature and catalyst content by pyrolysis and thermal catalytic cracking of (organic matter + paper) fraction from municipal household solid waste (MHSW) on the yields of reaction products (bio-oil, bio-char, H2O, and gas), acid value, chemical composition of bio-oils, and characterization of bio-chars in laboratory scale. The collecting sectors of MHSW in the municipality of Belém-Pará-Brazil were chosen based on geographic and socio-economic database. The MHSW collected and transported to the segregation area. The gravimetric analysis of MHSW was carried out and the fractions (Paper, Cardboard, Tetra Pack, Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic, Metal, Glass, Organic Matter, and Inert) were separated. The selected organic matter and paper were submitted to pre-treatment of crushing, drying, and sieving. The experiments carried out at 400, 450, and 475 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, and at 475 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, using 5.0, 10.0, and 15.0% (wt.) Ca(OH)2, in batch mode. The bio-oil was characterized for acid value. The chemical functions present in bio-oil were identified by FT-IR and the composition was identified by GC-MS. The bio-char was characterized by SEM, FT-IR, and XRD. The variance in mass (wt.%) for organic fractions of municipal household solid waste (OFMHSW), between 56.21 and 67.45% (wt.), lies with the interval of 56% (wt.) and 64% (wt.) of OFMHSW for middle- and low-income countries. The pyrolysis of MHSW fraction (organic matter + paper) shows bio-oil yields between 2.63 and 9.41% (wt.), aqueous phase yields between 28.58 and 35.08% (wt.), solid phase yields between 35.29 and 45.75% (wt.), and gas yields between 16.54 and 26.72% (wt.). The bio-oil yield increases with pyrolysis temperature. For the catalytic cracking, the bio-oil and gas yields increase slightly with CaO content, while that of bio-char decreases, and the H2O phase remains constant. The GC-MS of liquid reaction products identified the presence of hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, cycloalkanes, and aromatics) and oxygenates (carboxylic acids, ketones, esters, alcohols, phenols, and aldehydes), as well as compounds containing nitrogen, including amides and amines. The acidity of bio-oil decreases with increasing process temperature and with aid Ca(OH)2 as a catalyst. The concentration of hydrocarbons in bio-oil increases with increasing Ca(OH)2-to-OFMHSW fraction ratio due to the catalytic deoxygenation of fatty acid molecules, by means of decarboxylation/decarbonylation, producing aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.
Electricity cost of rapid filter backwashing in a water treatment plant Raynner Menezes Lopes, Ananda Cristina Froes Alves, Jorge Fernando Hungria Ferreira, Marcelo Giulian Marques, José Almir Rodrigues Pereira Engenharia Sanitaria E Ambiental, 2020 RESUMO O estudo teve por objetivo determinar a despesa com energia elétrica na lavagem de filtro rápido de uma estação de tratamento de água (ETA), cuja vazão é de 45 L/s. Para isso, foi realizado monitoramento hidroenergético para a análise do desempenho no bombeamento de água de lavagem. Adicionalmente, foi monitorada a qualidade da água do efluente de três lavagens no filtro 4 e realizado um levantamento das informações tarifárias de energia elétrica da unidade de tratamento. Com os resultados obtidos, observou-se que os valores de turbidez do efluente, ao final das três lavagens, no caso, 31, 30 e 27 UNT, não atingiram os limites mínimos recomendados na literatura técnica, que é de, pelo menos, 15 UNT. Foi observada também a dificuldade de prolongamento do tempo de lavagem, a fim de alcançar o padrão da literatura, pois o reservatório elevado (REL) de água de lavagem (água tratada), também alimenta a rede de distribuição, e poderia esvaziar completamente. Levando em conta essas limitações e a qualidade final do efluente de lavagem, observou-se que as lavagens devem ser finalizadas aos 380 segundos (6,3 minutos), tempo que consome um volume de 23,36 m3/lavagem. A despesa de água de lavagem foi calculada em 1,36 R$/m3, o que resultou no valor de 31,83 R$/lavagem. Para as lavagens de todos os filtros da estação, as despesas foram de 254,64 R$/dia, 7.639,20 R$/mês e 91.670,4 R$/ano. Esses valores são considerados elevados para o sistema de tratamento estudado.