Evaluación in Vitro de la Remoción de Plomo en Aguas Residuales por Photobacterium Damselae

In order to mitigate the environmental impacts caused by lead in wastewater from mining, petrochemical, metallurgical and other sectors, an in vitro evaluation of lead removal using Photobacterium damselae was carried out. In the isolation and biostimulation phase, the strains obtained were subjected to a selection process in a modified culture medium, to which concentrations of 20 and 100 ppm of Pb were added, finally obtaining the pure strain that showed resistance and/or tolerance to Pb. The determination of the capacity to remove Pb in wastewater was observed under two conditions: incubation at controlled temperature (25˚C) and incubation at room temperature in Quito-Ecuador (southern zone at 2 800 masl). The biochemical characterization of the bacteria was performed using the Microgen GN-ID A+B Kit. In the elaboration of the bacterial growth kinetics and Pb removal curves, turbidimetry and atomic absorption techniques were used. It is highlighted that Photobacterium damselae presented a greater ease of growth at a maximum of 72 hours and at a concentration of 20 ppm in incubation at room temperature, achieving a removal of up to 69% of the lead in the medium. From which the potential of this bacterium is inferred and opportunities for further studies in the future open up.