Evaluación de la presencia de metales en residuales líquidos y su efecto potencial para una comunidad.

According to the methodology proposed by the FITOPLANT group of the Agrarian University of La Habana, an evaluation of the heavy metal content in liquid residuals of the system of traps and drainage of the company White Ceramic "Adalberto Vidal" in San José de Las Lajas, La Habana, Cuba was done, as well as its impact in the surrounding zone in the period of 2006-2008. Samples of liquid residuals were taken in different points of the trajectory, extending its representativeness during the three years of study. An analysis of the heavy metals: Cu, Co, Fe, Zn, Ni, Pb, Mn as well as Mg, Na, Ca, K, was performed by atomic spectrophotometry absorption. It was determined that high concentrations of metals existed (over the permissible limits), and they were toxic for the environment. The traps of this Company do not exert the function for which they have been designed and they seriously affect the area and the adjacent ecosystem. When the involved social actors (farmers, workers, and the company's Advisory Council) were questioned, they recognized many affectations in crops, animals and other components of the ecosystem that were consequence of the indiscriminate pouring of the referred industrial remainders. There was a strong community impact over the population surrounding the industrial plant that may affect their food security. A deep analysis of the liquid residuals of this company was recommended, and an appropriate environmental education program was established which approached the subject of the contamination by heavy metals and the ways to restore the damaged areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]