Evaluación de la viabilidad del uso del raquis como lecho filtrante para el tratamiento de agua residual proveniente de la extracción de aceite de palma

Abstract

The present study evaluated the use viability of raquis as a filter bed, through the construction of biofilters at laboratory scale, for the treatment of residual water coming from the palm oil extraction.Initially, the residual water was characterized, obtaining values that exceeded the permissible limits for discharges to freshwater bodies, as stipulated the Book VI of the Unified Text of Secondary Legislation of the Ministry of the Environment. Next, a system of six trickling biofilters was assembled, for which were considered two variables: 1) the granulometry of the conditioned raquis and 2) the thickness of the filter bed. Its operation was monitored during 10 weeks, in order to determine the efficiency of the biological treatment. In the samples taken, eight physical, chemical and biological parameters were analyzed. The analysis of results showed that the efficiency in the removal of pollutants from the most efficient biofilter (Biofilter 3), reached values of: 100.00% in settleable solids, 99.85% in total suspended solids, 85.80% in dissolved solids , 91.50% in total solids, 86.57% in BOD and COD and 99.44% in fats and oils. In addition, an increase in pH from 3.00 to 4.75 was observed. However, only the parameters of settleable solids, total suspended solids and fats and oils, reached permissible values in the regulations