Evaluación de la dispersión de contaminantes atmosféricos del Complejo termas de la Virgen de la ciudad de Baños de Agua Santa.

Abstract

The main purpose of this research was to evaluate the dispersion of NO2 and SO2 in the thermal complex of Virgen de Baños de Agua Santa city, by using the methodology of passive sampling based on the absorption of NO2 and SO2 by means of a receptor solution of triethanolamine (TEA) in propylene tubes placed 3 m above the ground level. First, 30 sampling points were set by a technical criterion and randomly, in a study domain of 270 around this thermal complex. The samples were analyzed in the laboratory by UV-visible spectrophotometry, and after the application of standardized formulas, the concentration data of NO2 y SO2 were collected from the study area, giving maximum values of 2,85 (ug/m3) at the point 30, week 1 for NO2, and 1,86 (ug/m3) at point 9, week 1 for SO2, whose values did not exceed the maximum permissible limits established by the Ecuadorian standard of quality, with a value of 200 ug/ m3 in one hour for NO2 and 125 ug/m3 per a day for SO2, in concordance with the ministerial agreement 097 A book VI Annex 4 Air quality. The results were captures in dispersion maps, using the ArcGIS software, wich, using a colorimetric scale, evaluated the points of highest and lowest concentration, concluding that the dispersion of pollutants in the study area is directly influenced by meteorological parameters such as the speed and direction of prevailing winds and precipitation, according to the data provided by the Family Park meteorological Station, which caused the rapid dispersion of the gases emitted by the stationary emission sources of the thermal complex, determining an inversely proportional correlation between these factors.