HUMEDALES DE TRATAMIENTO PARA REMOCIÓN DE ARSÉNICO DEL RECHAZO DE UN SISTEMA DE PURIFICACIÓN DE AGUA POR ÓSMOSIS INVERSA.

Nowadays, it is very critical applying and adapting sustainable technological solutions to environmental concerns such treatment of contaminants from water, given that there are several pollutant compounds and sources. Concerning reject water from reverse osmosis systems, special interest in arsenic removal has been focused, because the concentration of this toxic element, the volume of discharges generated and its disposal at rural communities. Even though treatment wetlands have been widely tested, there is not any pilot system was conducted for As treatment on brine in Mexico yet. This project consisted in a system of subsurface flow treatment wetlands to evaluate the efficiency of different substrates for As removal from reverse osmosis reject water of a purification system, what would allow to reuse of reclaimed water. Three detailed experimental conditions were carried out trough separate case studies, in which emerging cyperaceae species of regional distribution were planted and locally available materials were used for the substrates; In addition, the electrical conductivity, pH and temperature parameters were monitored. The treatment wetland pilot system showed net decrease of As concentration with statistically significant in the three case studies. There was variation in the percentages of removal, however the statistical evidence indicated that the differences between adsorbent substrates were not significant. The reclaimed water has average concentrations of As below the maximum permissible limit established in the regulations of treated wastewater for irrigation. It was concluded that the pilot system of treatment wetlands means a solution to combat the disposal of As in drainage systems/water bodies and possible increasing of its efficiency is considered.