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Identificación de microplásticos en efluentes y afluentes de humedales construidos de flujo subsuperficial horizontal
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FTIR analysis of horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands treating domestic wastewater found that these systems retained some microplastic polymers (PP, PS, PT, PTFE) but still discharged others (PU, EVA, PA, PET, PMMA) in effluent used for crop irrigation. This demonstrates that constructed wetlands provide only partial microplastic removal, allowing persistent polymer types to enter agricultural soils and food chains through irrigation water.
Los microplásticos (MP) se han popularizado debido a su presencia en todos los entornos y ha sido definido como un contaminante nocivo, biomagnificador y bioacumulador; se ha reportado la presencia de MP en aguas residuales domésticas, mismas que se utilizan para el riego de cultivos agrícolas. El transporte, almacenamiento y destino final de los MP aún se desconocen. Los MP en aguas residuales son un problema poco conocido, más aún cuando se integran a la cadena alimenticia. El objetivo de este estudio es identificar la presencia de MP en Agua Residual Doméstica tratada mediante Humedales Construidos de Flujo Subsuperficial Horizontal con plantas ornamentales (Hippeastrum hybridum hort y Heliconia bihai marginata) mediante espectroscopia infrarroja por transformada de Fourier (FTIR) y caracterización visual. La presencia de MP se identificó mediante análisis FTIR, la caracterización visual mediante la metodología de Peralta-Peláez (2023) y la clasificación de MP se realizó mediante la metodología de Crawford (2017). Las muestras analizadas mediante FTIR mostraron que este tipo de tratamiento de aguas residuales domésticas mediante Humedales Construidos puede retener los siguientes tipos de polímeros: PP, PS, PT y PTFE. Sin embargo, estas muestras de agua tratada aún contenían polímeros de PU, EVA, PA, PET y PMMA, lo que sugiere que estos polímeros se desplazan a través del flujo de aguas residuales entre el sustrato y las raíces de las plantas. Es probable que este transporte se vea influenciado por el tamaño de las partículas, el tipo de flujo en el sistema de Humedales. En las muestras de agua residual doméstica tratada, se detectaron 11 fibras y 6 fragmentos de MP por cada 500 ml de agua. Si bien no se cuantificó la eficiencia de eliminación y/o retención, estos hallazgos sugieren que el sistema de HC de flujo subsuperficial horizontal condicionado con plantas ornamentales tienen el potencial de retener MP.
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