Proteção e limpeza de ambientes costeiros da Ilha de Boipeba contaminados por petróleo: o uso alternativo da fibra de coco como barreiras e sorventes naturais

Abstract

There are many centuries the man uses the oil to supply some necessities, mainly of energy generation. Since old applications in natura until the most complex current fractions, the hazards involved in their handling and use have increased considerably, requiring increasingly care about the risks of accidents with leakage of these products, which usually imply serious environmental damage. Recent disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, sinking of Horizon Deepwater platform on April 22, 2010, disclosed that, no matter how hard if has invested in prevention and preparedness for response, still it has risks of great ambient damages, with catastrophic and irreversible impacts. This work has as main objective describe the techniques, equipment and materials used for call to oil spillings in the coast, having as starting point the experience of companies specialized in the activity of containment and collect of spilled oil and publications of institutions that work with exploration, production, refining and transport of oil, beyond manufacturers of materials and equipment destined to the containment, collect and absorption of oil. The place of study chosen was the island of Boipeba, that is situated in the stretch of the south coast of Bahia, region known as Costa do Dendê. This site presents high environmental sensitivity to oil spill, by owning many mangroves and coral reefs and beaches of great scenic beauty, what makes it very attractive for tourism, currently its main source of income. Being an isolated area and therefore lacked many resources, the research searched to identify local alternatives to take care of possible contamination of its coastline by oil, with the use of solid wastes that today cause visual pollution, beyond allowing the proliferation of zoonoses. In this condition, the fiber extracted from coconut shell was the option that best met the requirements of technical and economic feasibility, although its use on a commercial scale in the oil industry is still in the embryonic stage. As proposed, the work suggests the promotion of cooperatives among local residents to explore the beneficiation of coconut shell, whose products obtained may be used in the production of oil-absorbing material or for treatment of soil contaminated by it, and have proven applications in agriculture and handicrafts, mainly in the industries of the construction, automotive and furniture. In the end, it is recommended that are in-depth studies for development of materials for absorption and bioremediation from fibre obtained from the bark of coconut and checked the feasibility of deployment of power plants for this purpose, through businesses with activities related to the oil industry and operating in the vicinity of the area studied.