[ Degradación de tensos activos en aguas residuales de galvanoplastia mediante procesos combinados y electroquímicos para mejorar la eficiencia del tratamiento y reducir contaminación ]
Judith Chalen-Medina1, Kerly Fun Sang-Robinson2, Andrez Villamar-Cardenas3, Gino Flor-Chavez4, Jaime Arévalo-Cedeño5, and Jean Jaya-Maza6
1 Carrera de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
2 Carrera de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
3 Carrera de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
4 Carrera de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
5 Carrera de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
6 Carrera de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
Original language: Spanish
Copyright © 2026 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
This study evaluates the degradation of surfactants in wastewater generated by the electroplating industry using an integrated treatment train comprising physicochemical, biological, and electrochemical processes. The research addresses compliance with maximum permissible discharge limits established by the Unified Text of Secondary Environmental Legislation (TULSMA) and contributes to sustainable water resource management in the province of Guayas. The primary objective was to determine a technically efficient, scalable, and environmentally sound treatment configuration capable of reducing surfactants and associated contaminants derived from electroplating operations. Comprehensive wastewater characterization, treatability tests, and process performance evaluations were conducted at an average influent flow rate of 20 m3 per day. Primary treatment via dissolved air flotation achieved effective removal of oils and greases and ten percent reduction in chemical oxygen demand and biochemical oxygen demand. Secondary treatment consisted of an activated biological system enriched with enzymes, urea, and phosphates, which enhanced microbial activity, promoted biodegradation of organic matter, facilitated surfactant removal, and induced precipitation of dissolved heavy metals. Tertiary treatment involved electrochemical oxidation using electrolytic cells, enabling surfactant hydrolysis and further reduction of recalcitrant compounds. The integrated treatment system achieved significant reductions in organic load, surfactant concentration, and metal content, producing an effluent that met all applicable regulatory discharge standards. The results demonstrate that the combined biological and electrochemical approach represents an effective, robust, and sustainable alternative for the treatment of electroplating wastewater. Furthermore, the proposed treatment scheme exhibits operational flexibility and potential applicability to other industrial effluents characterized by complex pollutant matrices and stringent regulatory requirements.
Author Keywords: wastewater, surfactants, electroplating, electrochemical, pollution, treatment.
Judith Chalen-Medina1, Kerly Fun Sang-Robinson2, Andrez Villamar-Cardenas3, Gino Flor-Chavez4, Jaime Arévalo-Cedeño5, and Jean Jaya-Maza6
1 Carrera de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
2 Carrera de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
3 Carrera de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
4 Carrera de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
5 Carrera de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
6 Carrera de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador
Original language: Spanish
Copyright © 2026 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
This study evaluates the degradation of surfactants in wastewater generated by the electroplating industry using an integrated treatment train comprising physicochemical, biological, and electrochemical processes. The research addresses compliance with maximum permissible discharge limits established by the Unified Text of Secondary Environmental Legislation (TULSMA) and contributes to sustainable water resource management in the province of Guayas. The primary objective was to determine a technically efficient, scalable, and environmentally sound treatment configuration capable of reducing surfactants and associated contaminants derived from electroplating operations. Comprehensive wastewater characterization, treatability tests, and process performance evaluations were conducted at an average influent flow rate of 20 m3 per day. Primary treatment via dissolved air flotation achieved effective removal of oils and greases and ten percent reduction in chemical oxygen demand and biochemical oxygen demand. Secondary treatment consisted of an activated biological system enriched with enzymes, urea, and phosphates, which enhanced microbial activity, promoted biodegradation of organic matter, facilitated surfactant removal, and induced precipitation of dissolved heavy metals. Tertiary treatment involved electrochemical oxidation using electrolytic cells, enabling surfactant hydrolysis and further reduction of recalcitrant compounds. The integrated treatment system achieved significant reductions in organic load, surfactant concentration, and metal content, producing an effluent that met all applicable regulatory discharge standards. The results demonstrate that the combined biological and electrochemical approach represents an effective, robust, and sustainable alternative for the treatment of electroplating wastewater. Furthermore, the proposed treatment scheme exhibits operational flexibility and potential applicability to other industrial effluents characterized by complex pollutant matrices and stringent regulatory requirements.
Author Keywords: wastewater, surfactants, electroplating, electrochemical, pollution, treatment.
