Efficiency of microorganisms and zeolites in the correction of chemical properties of water of the micro-basin of Carrizal river, Ecuador

Abstract

In order to evaluate the efficiency of microorganisms and zeolites in the correction of chemical properties of wa- ters of the micro-basin of the Carrizal River, Ecuador, the following treatments were evaluated: 1. Incubated with EM1® at 5 mL.L-1 and filtered on Cuban zeolite; 2. Incubated with EM1® at 5 mL.L-1 and filtered on Ecuadoran zeolite; 3. Incubated with 5 mL.L-1; 4. 10 mL.L-1 and 5.15 mL.L-1 of autochthonous microorganisms. The experimental design used was blocks completely randomized, with four repetitions. Comparisons of treatments were performed by orthogonal contrasts and their significance determined by the F test at 5 % probability. It was obtained that regardless of the location and source of water sampled, the use of doses of 15 mL.L-1 of the autochthonous microorganisms as a purification treatment was highly efficient in the correction of phosphate, alkalinity, electrical conductivity and chlorides at the permissible limits in the Ecuadorian technical regulations. Filtration treatments with zeolites were only effective in reducing the phosphate contents contained in the water.