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Removing dyes used in the textile industry from the water bodies is a relevant task because of the importance of their high toxicity. The cotton industry waste is a big problem in the final disposal. Waste cotton fibrils were studied as adsorbent material to treat the coloured effluents of the textile industry. Washing with boiling water was determined as the most efficient method for cleaning. The material was physical characterized. After that, methylene blue adsorption tests were carried out to review the dry removal process at different pH. The Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo-second kinetic order models best described this adsorption process. The results would indicate that the process involve a chemisorptions.

The arsenic occurrence in the water constitutes a serious world health concern due to its toxicity. Depending on the intensity and duration of exposure, this element can be acutely lethal or may have a wide range of health effects in humans and animals. In Argentina, the origin of arsenic is mainly natural, and related to different geological processes. The Argentinean concern about arsenic and its influence on human health dates back to the previous century. The disease ascribed to arsenic contamination was called ‘chronic regional endemic hydroarsenism’. It is produced by the consumption of water with high levels of this element. In our study, we focused in La Matanza district, a very populated site in the Buenos Aires Province. An increasing concern of the inhabitants of the area regarding health problems was detected. In order to establish a full view of arsenic exposure in the area, several matrices and targets were analyzed. As matrices, water and soil samples were analyzed. As targets, canine and human hair was studied. The aim of this study was to investigate acute and chronically exposure to arsenic of La Matanza inhabitants.

This study proposes a green way to design Plug Flow Reactors (PFR) that use biodegradable polymer solutions, capable of contaminant retaining, for industrial wastewater treatment. Usually, to the design of a PFR, the reaction rate is determined by tests on a Continuous Stirred-Tank Reactor (CSTR), these generate toxic effluents and also increase the cost of the design. In this work, empirical expressions (called “slip functions”), in terms of the average concentration of the contaminant, were developed through the study of the transport behaviour of CrVI into solutions of xanthan gum. “In situ” XRµF was selected as a no-invasive micro-technique to determine local concentrations. Slip functions were used with laboratory PFR experiments planned in similar conditions, to obtain useful dimensionless parameters for the industrial design.

The performance of a plug-flow automated aerobic digester for the composting of the biodegradable organic waste (BOW) from a typical family at its generation rhythm was evaluated. During 13 month assessment, 179.7 kg of BOW were treated and 106.7 kg of compost were obtained with a C:N ratio of 12 and an average concentration of N of about 2.72%. Additional tests enabled to assess the generation of stable and good quality compost according to the considered standards, suitable for using as organic fertilizer and other uses, such as biotreatments. The design, location and operational characteristics of the device have determined reduced leachate emissions, the absence of unpleasant odour generation and incidence of insects or other vectors, implying the viability of their use without affecting the user´s quality of life. It could be an efficient alternative treatment for household BOW, from a technical, economic, energy, cultural and environmental point of view, easy to implement for users lacking in special training.