Magnetite nanoparticles for reduction of hexavalent chrome in soil of an industrial park, Cerro Colorado - Arequipa [Nanopartículas de magnetita para reducción de cromo hexavalente en suelo de un parque industrial, Cerro Colorado – Arequipa]

Abstract

One of the most important contamination problems in receiving bodies due to industrial activities is the presence of chromium (VI). One way to reduce the aggressiveness of said contaminant is its reduction to the form of chromium (III). The investigation determined the efficiency of magnetite nanoparticles in the treatment of soil contaminating with chromium (VI), to reduce it to chromium (III) of an Industrial Park at the district Cerro Colorado, province and department of Arequipa. 22 samples of 1 kg of soil were taken, then homogenized according to the extraction distances, considering at the end only 3 samples called “Shore”, “6 Meters” and “9 Meters”, whose concentrations were: 146 mg / kg, 126 mg / kg and 67 mg / kg of Cr (VI) respectively. These samples were subjected to 3 treatments (T1, T2 and T3) with 3 repetitions each using 15, 30 and 45 grams doses of Magnetite nanoparticles for three weeks. At the end of the treatment using the EPA 3060 method, the Chrome (VI) analysis was performed. The 3 treatments “T1”, “T2” and “T3”, had significant differences for the final concentrations of Hexavalent Chromium in the soil; but it was in Treatment 3 in the soil samples "Shore", "6 Meters" and "9 Meters", where a greater effect was achieved in the reduction of Cr (VI) to Chromium (III) with an efficiency of 99.96%, 99.93% and 99.93% respectively, 45 grams of magnetite nanoparticles were used for this treatment.