Incidencia de la concentración total e intercambiable de cadmio y plomo sobre la fertilidad potencial de los suelos afectados por aguas residuales del Embalse del Muña (Mesitas del Colegio - Cundinamarca)

Abstract

The growing energy demand brings with it the implementation of hydroelectric projects, which, as in the case of the El Muña reservoir, use water with high content of pollutants such as trace metals; The storage of these waters and the interaction with the edaphic resource has impacts on the fertility of the soils. In this work the incidence of cadmium and lead has been analyzed on the fertility of soils located in the municipalities of Sibaté and El Colegio. Fertility was quantified from the cation exchange capacity (CIC), while the metal content was analyzed for the total and exchangeable fractions, for the latter the BCR protocol was implemented. The results showed that the soils present cadmium concentrations below the limits of the analytical method used for the two fractions, this also happened for the interchangeable lead. Meanwhile, the total lead concentration showed a linear relationship with the cIC, indicating that variations in Pb content effectively affect soil fertility, this relationship was also found at the spatial level, in which the influence of external factors such as the presence of main roads and constant irrigation with reservoir waters. In conclusion, although lead content has an influence on fertility and soil toxicity levels in accordance with international standards, they are not interchangeable, however, agricultural practices can change soil conditions by mobilizing metals.