Browsing by Author "Quizhpilema Marin, Samantha Katherine"

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    Evaluación de la eficiencia de filtros de carbón activo a escala de laboratorio para la retención de microplásticos de aguas residuales
    (Universidad de Cuenca, 2025-09-18) Muñoz Torres, Romel Gerardo; Quizhpilema Marin, Samantha Katherine; Guanuchi Quito, Alexandra Elizabeth
    Microplastic pollution in water bodies poses a growing threat to both environmental and human health. This study evaluated the efficiency of laboratory-scale filters using activated carbon (AC) for the retention of microplastics in wastewater from the Ucubamba Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Cuenca, Ecuador. Three filter columns were designed with activated carbon bed heights of 20, 25, and 30 cm, each also composed of stratified layers of gravel and sand. The system operated under controlled conditions, including flow rate, hydraulic retention time, and sampling frequency. Samples obtained after membrane filtration, containing retained microplastics (MPs), were analyzed using rhodamine B staining, UV fluorescence, and optical microscopy, allowing for the quantification of initial concentrations ranging from 2.3 to 5.7 million MPs/L. After treatment, favorable microplastic removal percentages were achieved, with Filter 3 standing out for its 78.98% efficiency. This performance is attributed to optimal operational conditions: the greatest activated carbon bed height (30 cm) and extended contact time (2 hours). Subsequently, when comparing the efficiencies of the three types of activated carbon (vegetal, powdered, and granular) powdered activated carbon (PAC) exhibited the highest removal efficiency, reaching 80.08%. This result is associated with its finer structure, which enhances surface interaction and adsorption kinetics with microplastics.