Abundant by-products of large swine industries, such as slaughterhouse sludge and carcasses, require adequate treatment to prevent negative effects of their direct disposal in the open environment. This study is aimed to evaluate the efficiency of composting using meal from dead pigs through physicochemical analyses and phytotoxic assays. Five treatments were tested, all including 50% sawdust: T1, with 50% slaughterhouse sludge (control); T2, with 20% slaughterhouse sludge and 30% meal from dead pigs; T3, with 10% slaughterhouse sludge and 40% meal from dead pigs; T4, with 20% organic stabilizing compost and 30% meal from dead pigs and T5, with 30% organic stabilizing compost and 20% meal from dead pigs. The phytotoxicity assays used lettuce, cucumber, celia, soybean, rice and wheat as bioindicators. Inclusion of meal from dead pigs was related to reduction in pH, C/N ratio, humidity and temperatures inside the pile, although thermophilic peaks lasted longer than 50 days and the final composts showed high content of nitrogen and phosphorous. The germination of bioindicators was reduced in all tested treatments, compared to the control. The composts from treatments that included meal from dead pigs presented acceptable nutrient content, which may indicate their use as organic fertilizers. However, after 4 months, all bioindicators in contact with such composts presented impaired germination.

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The objective of the work was to deal with the organic waste generated in the horticultural sector by the vermicomposting process, which results in vermicomposting. An experiment was carried out in 10l plastic boxes, where organic waste generated in a food distribution trade, organic fertilizer, and earthworms of the Eisenia fetid species were added. After setting up the experiment, monitoring of temperature and internal and ambient humidity was carried out, and monthly collections for laboratory analysis were carried out, as well as at the end of the process, the earthworms were counted, which were classified into young and adult. The values of temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, and humidity for the three treatments were within the limit recommended by scientific articles and current legislation for this type of process, as well as the reproduction of earthworms, which went from 40 adult individuals initially, to five times more of that value at the end of the process. Thus, it is possible to state that vermicomposting is a viable alternative for the treatment of waste, as it generates a product with agronomic and environmental value.

RESUMO Cresce o número de pacientes em tratamento hemodialítico e, com isso, o volume de efluente gerado. Esse efluente possui alta concentração de sais, compostos nitrogenados e matéria orgânica; ainda, pode conter fármacos e microrganismos. No âmbito municipal, o efluente gerado é aportado nas redes de esgoto e lançado em recursos hídricos superficiais. Testes toxicológicos com o uso de sementes fornecem confiáveis respostas, com simplicidade e baixo custo de procedimentos e materiais; todavia, não possibilitam identificar o agente causador de toxidez, mas da toxicidade do conjunto de contaminantes. Diante disso, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar fitotoxicidade, citotoxicidade e genotoxicidade do efluente hemodialítico gerado no maior hospital da região sul do Rio Grande do Sul. Utilizaram-se amostras compostas coletadas no início, meio e fim de cada sessão, em cinco máquinas e diferentes turnos. Foram testados efluente puro e diluído, água para composição do dialisato, dialisato puro e diluído e controle. Os testes de fitotoxicidade foram realizados com sementes de pepino Verde Comprido, alface Regina de Verão e Rabo-de-Galo. Para análises de citogenotoxicidade, utilizaram-se sementes de cebola Baia Periforme. Observou-se que o efluente hemodialítico e o dialisato puros exerceram efeito tóxico em todas as sementes analisadas. Embora o efluente diluído não tenha causado fitotoxicidade na alface e no pepino, testes de citogenotoxicidade mostraram diminuição do índice mitótico e aparecimento de aberrações cromossômicas em células de cebola, indicando toxicidade em nível celular e genético. Esses resultados permitem concluir que tal efluente não pode ser aportado diretamente em recursos hídricos, tampouco reutilizado na irrigação sem tratamento prévio.