Pollution of River Plate, worsening
is eliminating wildlife gets harder the purification
water Monday September 21, 2009
trash is mixed into the contaminated water supplied by underground streams Costanera Norte. Photo
Angeles Castro THE NATION THE NATIONAL
Angeles Castro THE NATION THE NATIONAL
pollution in the Rio de la Plata, which gives the water consumed by the population in the metropolitan area, not yield. And the greater the degree of pollution, is more complex and expensive purification process. In addition, the presence of organic and inorganic contaminants in that course, at the confluence of toxic waste of all kinds, is removing fauna and flora.
Those circumstances and the lack of awareness of the residents of the capital and the periphery of responsible resource consumption (per inhabitant per day spent ten times more liters than recommended by the UN) are the two most serious problems around the water in the country's principal urban concentration.
Measurements made on a regular basis between 2001 and 2008 by the Research Institute of Environmental Engineering National University 3iA St. Mar-tin (UNSAM) revealed the existence of organic pollutants and inorganic compounds in the waters of the southern coastal strip called the river, which extends from San Fernando to Magdalena and bathes the shores of the metropolitan area.
The presence of these pollutants, originating from the sewage, household (detergents) and industrial products that reach the Río de la Plata transported by other rivers and streams in the discharge-is constant since the teachers and students 3iA began studies and direct impact on water quality.
"It's not worse, but neither is the situation better. The charge is fraudulent as time goes on. As a society, we have not done anything to reverse the pollution," reflected in chemistry Dr. Daniel Cicerone, UNSAM associate professor and coordinator of research on the South Coast Strip.
sewage effluents, Cicerone said, provide nitrogen compounds such as nitrates, nitrites and ammonium, which are used by photosynthetic organisms and nutrients. If they register in large numbers, causing the sharp increase in bodies to prevent the passage of light and begins a process of eutrophication, or death of the biota. They also bring pathogens such as bacteria and viruses.
Moreover, industrial effluent carrying organic and inorganic contaminants. Refrigerators, for example, if treat their wastes, including animal remains are highlighted, providing a high content of bacteria. By introducing a stream of organic matter, it consumes oxygen for oxidation and lowers levels of this element in water, thus, are favored anaerobic processes, during which they produce methane and hydrogen sulfide, and odor free nauseating.
Meanwhile, tanneries and metal generated metals, like cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, zinc and mercury. Other industries release pesticides and fertilizers. Lower quality
Cicerone told the nation that, for all these substances in suspension, sewage and industrial effluents reduce water quality and thus, the "fitness for use of the resource." On the banks of Buenos Aires, most applications are invalidated. What are these uses? Source of drinking water, protection of aquatic life, irrigation, recreation and industrial use. As is known, is forbidden to swim in the Rio de la Plata and the biota (fauna and flora) is seriously compromised.
"In addition, increased pollution, drinking water is more expensive and demands greater efforts," said Cicerone, who also holds a degree in oceanography.
Water quality is measured on a scale from zero to 100. Below 24, the liquid is not suitable for any use, between 24 and 52, serves a minimal use, between 53 and 92, for limited use. Finally, between 93 and 100, the water can be allocated to any application.
3iA teams take water samples at the mouth of the Brook and Brook Medrano, and during the Reconquista River, which, like the previous two, is a tributary of the Río de la Plata. Cicerone noted that these three streams chosen because the literature were identified as the three most pollution contributed to the Rio de la Plata, the river crossing, in the following order: Riachuelo and Reconquista Brook Medrano.
measured the impact UNSAM Riachuelo in the southern coastal strip in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006. At the mouth of the creek Medrano (one of three major underground streams of the Capital, along with Vega and Maldonado), worked in 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2008. Toxic Spill
studies evaluated the Reconquista River water quality in the segment that runs between the former Route 8 and the Pan American in 2007 and 2008. Contaminants in that section, said Cicerone, discharging into the Rio de la Plata. According to the results of the analysis, at the mouth of the Riachuelo, to the height of Vuelta de Rocha, the water quality index is 16 and a little closer to the River Plate in Cuatro Bocas, at 33. At that point, the South Coast Gaza showed values \u200b\u200bbetween 54 and 57. There, researchers found that it was almost no dissolved oxygen was high load of nitrite and ammonium, and had some metals such as chromium, lead and cadmium, all harmful to health.
Meanwhile, the stream Medrano, who released his wealth right on the border between the capital and Vicente López, comes with an index of 15, playing 37 in the Club Universitario de Buenos Aires (CUBA) and the 41 round and 42 vs. University City. At only 1000 yards away, running water intakes AySA, the company responsible for distributing potable water to the capital and suburbs. High organic load was found, there were changes in dissolved oxygen was high and the presence of ammonia and nitrite. There were no metals.
Finally, in the Reconquista River, influenced in the segment analyzed by the receiving party's rain San Martín, the values \u200b\u200branged between 30 and 40. 3iA teams detected decreased dissolved oxygen, increased nitrogen, phosphorus, cadmium and lead, among others, ammonium and nitrate.
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