Browsing by Author "Urgilez Coronel, Raniero Oswaldo"

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    Análisis del desempeño de un sistema de vermifiltración en la remoción de iones de cobre y cromo de aguas residuales sintéticas a escala piloto
    (Universidad de Cuenca. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, 2026-02-18) Crespo Mora, Niurka Galilea; Urgilez Coronel, Raniero Oswaldo; Guanuchi Quito, Alexandra Elizabeth
    The presence of heavy metals in wastewater represents an environmental concern due to their toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation capacity, generating adverse impacts on ecosystems and human health. Among these contaminants, copper (Cu2+) and hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) frequently reach water bodies through domestic and industrial discharges that do not always receive adequate treatment. In this context, vermifiltration emerges as a sustainable treatment alternative based on combined physical and biological processes involving earthworms of the species Eisenia fetida.This study evaluated the performance of a pilot-scale vermifiltration system for the removal of Cu2+ and Cr(VI) from synthetic wastewater, comparing it with a control filter without earthworms. Four experimental filtration units were operated under identical hydraulic conditions in batch mode, considering effective contact time as a parameter for system characterization. Influent and effluent metal concentrations, along with complementary physicochemical parameters, were monitored throughout the experimental period.Results showed reductions of both metals in the two filtration systems; however, no statistically significant differences were found between vermifilter and control filter removal efficiencies. Likewise, small variations in effective contact time did not significantly influence treatment performance. Overall, both systems exhibited comparable behavior, indicating that vermifiltration constitutes a viable and low-cost alternative for treating synthetic wastewater contaminated with heavy metals.