Design of a mathematical tool to evaluate the contaminant load generated by the liquid spills of a metal coating company

Abstract

Waste waters of the electroplating industry process contaminated with high concentration of heavy metals, acidity, fatty contaminants, and total solids, are a focuses of contamination, when they are poured into urban sewer system. The primary aim of this work was to design a tool to evaluate the environmental impact that could generate metallic electroplating process effluent. This study was supported by a local electroplating company of Bucaramanga city (Santander-Colombia). Company was monitored for two months. The most important physical and chemical Parameters of the waste water were analyzed. The results indicate that parameters studied are above environmental normality limits. ICC was designed with a function of: a) polluting effect of each variable in the effluent quality; this was quantified giving a certain weight or grade of importance to each parameter wi, and b) Quality level of each variable «Q»; that it is quantifies starting from a Standard Scale of Qualification (EEC). The ICC calculated for the company effluent, allowed to qualify them with a denomination between Bad and unpleasant, indicating that they possess a high pollutant load and that they require to be treated before being poured.