Remoción de hidrocarburos aromáticos policíclicos presentes en aguas residuales de lubricadoras utilizando limoneno como alternativa sostenible

Abstract

The contamination of water bodies by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from lubricant workshops represents a significant environmental concern due to the toxicity, persistence, and potential bioaccumulation of these compounds. In this study, the use of limonene, a natural solvent derived from citrus peel, was evaluated as an alternative treatment for the removal of PAHs from wastewater generated by lubricant workshops. A factorial experimental design was applied to investigate the influence of limonene concentration (20, 30, and 40% v/v) and agitation speed (200, 400, and 600 rpm) on three response variables: turbidity, density, and PAH removal efficiency. The results showed that limonene achieved a global PAH removal of 42.43%, with specific removal efficiencies of 48% for naphthalene and 67% for anthracene. Additionally, a significant turbidity reduction of 91.9% was observed, along with an increase in the final density to 0.8712 g/mL. Comparison with previous studies indicated that while limonene demonstrates moderate effectiveness in PAH removal, its performance is lower than that of modified chitosanbased adsorbents and certain conventional adsorbents, which exhibit removal efficiencies ranging from 50% to 90%. However, the remarkable reduction in turbidity suggests that limonene could serve as a complementary treatment in wastewater remediation, particularly in applications where water clarity is a critical parameter. This research provides valuable insights into the potential of limonene as an eco-friendly alternative for hydrocarbon-contaminated water treatment and highlights the need for further optimization and integration with other treatment technologies to enhance its efficiency.