Processos de recuperação, reuso e destinação do formol em laboratório de anatomia

Abstract

This work integrates environmental concerns, highlighting the commitment of universities to the community in finding sustainable balance within social, cultural and environmental. The harmfulness of occupational and environmental effluents in the laboratories of morphology is one of the clearest among the sectors of universities, enhanced by the elimination of a solution containing formaldehyde, characterized by high concentration of organic matter that causes a drastic reduction of oxygen in the aquatic environment. The morphological preservation can be accomplished by various methods, but surely the use of formaldehyde is still significant due to its efficiency and lower cost. The main focus of work is the search for relevant procedures in the laboratory so as to enable the reuse of these solutions containing formaldehyde, reducing the volume of wastewater pollution and the costs relating to the procedures for preservation of anatomical specimens. In the laboratory were analyzed six tanks that store human bodies, dogs and sheep, each containing approximately 1000 L of formaldehyde solution initially prepared at 10%. The characterization of the solutions obtained as parameters relevant to COD (chemical oxygen demand), ranging from 5222 mg/L and 8600 mg/L, and pH between 3.9 and 4.7 and total solids found up to 7,415 mg/L. Parameters such as N (total nitrogen) and oils and greases were also analyzed, and the concentration of formaldehyde and microbiological evaluation of the tanks. Purification processes were studied for these solutions, in order to enable their reuse, starting with the filtration of the solution, which turned out to be a quick process, but insufficient to result. We chose to add the distillation process, with temperatures ranging between 60-100◦C, was observed to be possible there use of formaldehyde solutions through tested processes. It was also found that the recycling process must be premised on the accuracy in the preparation of parts, quality control of the solution recommended in the routine, with optimum concentration of formaldehyde and pH to prevent growth of microorganisms, as well as the ideal base structure of the entire laboratory, allowing the occupational safety of its users.