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nanoparticles, alumina, zinc oxide, silver, impregnation, microwave-assisted hydrothermal, sonochemistry, bactericidal activity.
The progressive demand for water has made the treatment and reuse of effluents a subject of worldwide relevance. Considering this situation, the use of nanometric materials has been investigated to obtain nanocomposites with anti-bacterial properties. In the search for these new materials, several methodologies and preparation techniques have been developed with the purpose of controlling the shapes and sizes of the particles to, consequently, improve and optimize their properties. This work consists in the achievement, characterization and antibacterial evaluation of nanocomposites obtained by the impregnation of silver (Ag) in commercial alumina (g-Al2O3) and zinc oxide (ZnO) by different synthesis routes: microwave-assisted hydrothermal, sonochemical, and an association of sonochemical and hydrothermal methods, destined to the disinfection of wastewater, for non-potable reuse. A comparative study was carried out between g-Al2O3 and ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by sonochemical and microwave-assisted hydrothermal methods, investigating the influence of the composition and the distribution of the particle size on the properties of these. Impregnations of 4%, 8%, 12% and 16% of Ag in g-Al2O3 and in ZnO were tested. The compounds were applied in an effluent coming from a secondary treatment of Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP) and then evaluated, through bacteriological analyzes, the efficiency in the removal of pathogenic indicators of contamination. The results showed that the efficiency percentage of the nanocomposite reached the same standards of removal of total coliforms, thermotolerant coliforms and E. coli from the already established techniques of disinfection. The unalteration of the nanocomposite network parameters after the synthesis, combined with the results of X-Ray Difraction (XRD), X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and granulometric analysis, confirmed the impregnation of silver in the oxides. In this first moment, there was viability in the application of the nanocatalyst produced for the disinfection of effluents coming from secondary treatment of WTP for the purpose of non-potable reuse.