Utilização de resíduos ou subprodutos de cortiça para a eliminação de óleos e gorduras de águas.

This work intends to present cork as a competitive material for environmental problems, namely the elimination of water-soluble and dispersed oils and hydrocarbons. The conventional methods, which include physical and chemical processes, are quite efficient when oils and hydrocarbons are present at high concentrations, but they are inefficient to remove these pollutants at low concentration, obliging to use expensive technologies, like membrane separation and activated carbon adsorption. It is intended to look for an adequate cork material for this application, considering the large range of sources and type of materials and granulometries, in order to achieve a final effluent with the required quality to be re-used, while reducing the costs associated with the water consumption and fees associated with the discharge of the effluent. Moreover, there will be an environmental benefit for all the community by the reduction of the water consumption of the companies that use this technology.