Agroindustrial waste applied as a filtering material in the post-treatment of waste water from the production of cosmetics

Abstract

This study aimed to treat wastewater from the cosmetics industry for this, a filter was built with layers of agro-industrial residues (rice husks, vermiculite and carbonized corn cobs) on a laboratory scale. With slow filtration, it was possible to reach a final COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) value of 255.98 mg O222 L3-13 and a final turbidity of 18.9 UNT, which are within the values of the state and federal parameters required for disposal into springs. Removals of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) of 54.84% and of Total Phenols of 68.78% were important. Attention was also given to monitoring the concentration of metals: cadmium, lead, nickel, cobalt, magnesium and manganese after slow filtration. The results achieved were promising for the use of agro-industrial residues as efficient, low-cost filtering materials that mainly provide environmental sustainability.