Abstract

BLANCO FONTALVO, Edith et al. Use of subsurface flow constructed wetlands for the removal of copper and lead from oil production water. Rev. Téc. Ing. Univ. Zulia [online]. 2011, vol.34, n.3, pp.238-245. ISSN 0254-0770.

Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetlands (SFW) are natural purification systems characterized because has bed contains a porous mean in which are emergent aquatic plants. During this investigation the efficiency of the SFW, for the removal of copper and lead present in water from oil production, (OPW) was evaluated. A system conformed by two polythene trays with 0,175m3 capacity was used. In one tray these emergent species were implanted: Typha dominguensis, Cyperus luzulae, Cyperus feraz L. C and Cyperus ligularis L, one second tray was used as control (C) without plants. The organic load was 29.42 g/m2d and the hydraulic retention time (TRH) was 7 days. The wetland’s bed was provided of a gravel layer of 15 cm thickness with different granulometry. A weekly sampling was taken during four months. The metals copper and lead quantification was carried out through the instrumental technique of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry and the methodologies described in the Standard Methods. The results indicate statistically significant differences (P<0,05) between the removals of evaluated copper and lead in SFW and C. The average removals of copper and lead in the SFW were: 57.89% and 52.92% respectively whereas in C the copper removal was 39.91% and the of lead 22.94%. The results allow concluding that constructed wetlands are partially efficient for the removal of copper and lead water from oil crude production.

Keywords : Water from oil crude production; constructed wetlands; subsurface flow; emergent aquatic plants; heavy metals.