Suppression of iron ore particulate matter using chia mucilage

Abstract

In this work, it was studied chia mucilage (Salvia hispanica L.) for the suppression of iron ore particulate matter transported by railways. Tests were carried out in a transport simulator by a railroad gondola at 60 km/h speed. Chia mucilage was removed from the seeds by using a hand blender with propellers coated with silicone and then sprinkled on iron ore in a 1:20 (43.0 x 11.5 x 10.0 cm) scale wagon prototype in relation to the real one. The concentration of 2% (w/w) of seeds in the water proved to be efficient for the control of particulate matters on days with low humidity, concentration of 1% (w/w) gave good results for days with high humidity, whereas pure water was not efficient in dust suppression. Chia mucilage has the capacity of retaining particulate matters, presenting promising use in the mining sector, thus helping to prevent diseases caused by these particles. Further studies are needed to improve the simulation of iron ore rail transportation.