Elaboración de una metodología para la determinación del nivel de erosión, a partir de la cuantificación del Cs-137 en la provincia de Chimborazo

Abstract

The main objective of the integrative project was to develop a methodology to determine the level of erosion, based on the quantification of Cs-137, in the soils of the cantons most affected by soil erosion in the province of Chimborazo. The methodology is based on the use of radio tracers, which is an advantage over traditional methods. This technique has been applied in various regions of the world; however, there are no bibliographies on the application of this method in Ecuador. To verify the proposed methodology, an example was taken from the canton of Guamote, in the San Juan neighbourhood, where samples were collected at different depths (0-5cm, 5-10cm, 10-20cm and 20-30cm) and analysed using gamma spectrometry equipment. It was obtained as a result that the Cs-137 activities of the reference site, take values between nondetectable to a maximum value of 9.39 +/- 6.34 Bq/Kg and Cs-137 inventories vary between nondetectable values, and a maximum value of 95.93 +/- 68.75 Bq/m2 in point 1 and in point 2 no activity was detected, while in the study sites were obtained results of Cs-137 activities of values between non-detectable to 8. 01 +/- 5.02 Bq/Kg and inventories up to 95.47 +/- 63.72 Bq/m2 at point 1 and up to 3.36±6.07 Bq/Kg 3.36 +/- 6.07 Bq/Kg and inventories up to 91.09 +/- 16.44 Bq/m2 at point 2. The proportional model was used, obtaining a soil loss with values of 4.78 ton/(ha year) for the first point and 10.54 ton/(ha year) for the second point. Based on this analysis, it is recommended to continue with a treatment to combat soil erosion in this sector, as well as to continue with the study of soil erosion in the province of Chimborazo.