Planta piloto de ósmosis inversa para remover metales pesados Pb, Fe, As, Zn, Mn en aguas de consumo en Bolivia

Abstract

The presence of heavy metals in drinking water in the Guadalquivir and Milluni basins located in Tarija and La Paz, Bolivia, requires the need to investigate adequate water treatment systems and technologies. One of the most efficient systems is reverse osmosis whose filtration technology will ensure a process of elimination of these pollutants efficiently and sustainably.

This work describes the design and operating procedure of the first pilot plant experimental to reverse osmosis for the cities of Tarija and La Paz-Bolivia and the characterization of a Keensem aromatic polyamide type membrane, model ULP-2540 for efficiency evaluation of this in the elimination of Pb (Lead), Fe (iron), As (Arsenic), Zinc (Zn) and Manganese (Mn) in surface water of consumption in concentrations of equivalent metal cations in synthetic waters. The experimental plant has been designed so that its operation simulates the atmospheric and climatic conditions of the study areas and whose control variables such as temperature and pressure can be manipulated with the regulation of a centrifugal pump, allowing to analyze the response variables such as the efficiency of the membrane and the flux of the system.