Iron Removal in the Effluent of the Moche-Peru River with the Microalgae Chlorella sp.

Abstract

In Peru, illegal mining deposits have generated that the main rivers have been contaminated by different types of metals, among which is iron (Fe), which can interfere in the metabolism of microorganisms in a negative way. For this reason, a clean way of bioremediating this metal with microalgae Chlorella sp. obtained from the Moche River, Trujillo, Peru, is proposed, achieving a removal of 99.29%, 98.96%, and 98.79% in the three treatments carried out with 5, 10, and 20 mL of microalgae, respectively, as well as controlling the parameters of pH, conductivity, and turbidity, demonstrating that the conductivity and turbidity values decreased as a function of the decrease in microalgae. In the initial state, a value of 25.68 ppm was found, and after treatment, values of 0.183, 0.268, and 0.31 ppm were found for the values of 5, 10, and 20 mL, respectively. This research provides a novel way to remove iron concentrations using microalgae in an ecological, effective, and low-cost way, so this technology is recommended in mining, industries, etc.