REVISTA CIENCIA E INGENIERÍA ISSN: 1316-7081
<strong>Estudio</strong> <strong>comparativo</strong> <strong>de</strong> <strong>la</strong> <strong>dureza</strong> <strong>de</strong>l <strong>agua</strong> <strong>en</strong> <strong>el</strong> <strong>estado</strong> <strong>Mérida</strong> y algunas localida<strong>de</strong>s <strong>de</strong>l c<strong>en</strong>tro y occi<strong>de</strong>nte <strong>de</strong> V<strong>en</strong>ezue<strong>la</strong> Water hardness comparative study betwe<strong>en</strong> <strong>Mérida</strong> state towns and some c<strong>en</strong>ter and western v<strong>en</strong>ezue<strong>la</strong>n towns *F. Millán , J. Mathison, M. Alvares, W. Jarbouh Instituto Universitario Politécnico “Santiago Mariño” Ext. <strong>Mérida</strong>. *fmil<strong>la</strong>n49@hotmail.com Resum<strong>en</strong> El pres<strong>en</strong>te trabajo se realizo a fin <strong>de</strong> resaltar y reforzar <strong>el</strong> concepto <strong>de</strong> <strong>la</strong> <strong>dureza</strong> <strong>de</strong>l <strong>agua</strong> y su importancia a través <strong>de</strong> un estudio <strong>en</strong> <strong>agua</strong>s potables <strong>de</strong> difer<strong>en</strong>tes regiones <strong>de</strong>l occi<strong>de</strong>nte <strong>de</strong>l país. Se muestrearon un total <strong>de</strong> 36 localida<strong>de</strong>s. Las muestra se sometieron a los análisis químicos <strong>de</strong> <strong>dureza</strong> total, cálcica y magnésica pH, y cont<strong>en</strong>ido <strong>de</strong> bicarbonatos. Los resultados muestran que para localida<strong>de</strong>s por <strong>de</strong>bajo <strong>de</strong> los 1000 msnm, <strong>la</strong> <strong>dureza</strong> total se <strong>en</strong>cu<strong>en</strong>tra alre<strong>de</strong>dor <strong>de</strong> los 100 ppm <strong>de</strong> CaCO3, mi<strong>en</strong>tras que por <strong>en</strong>cima <strong>de</strong> los 1500 msnm <strong>la</strong>s <strong>dureza</strong>s están por <strong>de</strong>bajo <strong>de</strong> los 50 ppm CaCO3. En <strong>el</strong> <strong>estado</strong> <strong>Mérida</strong> se pue<strong>de</strong>n <strong>en</strong>contrar tres tipos <strong>de</strong> <strong>agua</strong>s difer<strong>en</strong>ciadas <strong>en</strong> re<strong>la</strong>ción a su <strong>dureza</strong>: muy b<strong>la</strong>ndas, b<strong>la</strong>ndas y semiduras y <strong>en</strong> g<strong>en</strong>eral, esta <strong>dureza</strong> está gobernada por <strong>el</strong> cont<strong>en</strong>ido <strong>de</strong> calcio. Las localida<strong>de</strong>s <strong>de</strong> Zea y Tovar, al sur <strong>de</strong>l <strong>estado</strong>, pres<strong>en</strong>tan <strong>dureza</strong>s anormalm<strong>en</strong>te altas <strong>en</strong> re<strong>la</strong>ción a su asnm <strong>de</strong>bido a yacimi<strong>en</strong>tos <strong>de</strong> roca caliza, lo que explica los altos cont<strong>en</strong>idos <strong>de</strong> calcio y magnesio. Las localida<strong>de</strong>s <strong>de</strong> Zea y Tovar, al sur <strong>de</strong>l <strong>estado</strong> así como Mucuchíes y Aparta<strong>de</strong>ros al norte, pres<strong>en</strong>tan <strong>dureza</strong>s anormalm<strong>en</strong>te altas <strong>en</strong> re<strong>la</strong>ción a su asnm <strong>de</strong>bido a yacimi<strong>en</strong>tos <strong>de</strong> calizas <strong>en</strong>contrados <strong>en</strong> <strong>la</strong>s geologías locales. En <strong>la</strong> parte occi<strong>de</strong>ntal <strong>de</strong> <strong>la</strong> cordillera <strong>de</strong> Los An<strong>de</strong>s, <strong>la</strong>s <strong>dureza</strong>s se increm<strong>en</strong>tan principalm<strong>en</strong>te por <strong>el</strong> aum<strong>en</strong>to <strong>en</strong> <strong>la</strong>s cantida<strong>de</strong>s <strong>de</strong> magnesio, especialm<strong>en</strong>te <strong>en</strong> <strong>la</strong> localidad <strong>de</strong> Aguaviva don<strong>de</strong> más <strong>de</strong>l 90 % <strong>de</strong> <strong>la</strong> <strong>dureza</strong> está repres<strong>en</strong>tada por esta especie. Hacia <strong>la</strong> parte ori<strong>en</strong>tal <strong>de</strong> <strong>la</strong> cordillera: <strong>estado</strong>s Barinas, Portuguesa y <strong>el</strong> c<strong>en</strong>tro <strong>de</strong>l país <strong>la</strong>s <strong>dureza</strong>s se increm<strong>en</strong>tan <strong>de</strong>bido al aum<strong>en</strong>to gradual <strong>en</strong> <strong>la</strong>s cantida<strong>de</strong>s <strong>de</strong> calcio. El cont<strong>en</strong>ido <strong>de</strong> bicarbonato se re<strong>la</strong>ciona positivam<strong>en</strong>te con <strong>la</strong> <strong>dureza</strong> excepto <strong>en</strong> Lagunil<strong>la</strong>s y Cabimas cuyos valores <strong>de</strong> pH están fuera <strong>de</strong>l rango normal (6.5 – 8.5) <strong>de</strong>bido a posibles contaminaciones. Pa<strong>la</strong>bras c<strong>la</strong>ves: Agua, <strong>dureza</strong>, calcio, magnesio, bicarbonatos. Abstract The pres<strong>en</strong>t work was done with the finality to un<strong>de</strong>rline the concept of water hardness and its importance though a study in drinkable waters with a participating group of the stu<strong>de</strong>nts of our institute. 36 waters samples were collected from differ<strong>en</strong>t localities of western V<strong>en</strong>ezue<strong>la</strong> especially from <strong>Mérida</strong> state and were submitted to chemical analysis of waters hardness, (Ca , Mg ) bicarbonates cont<strong>en</strong>t and pH. The results show that water hardness is betwe<strong>en</strong> 50 and 150 ppm CaCO3 for localities un<strong>de</strong>r 1000 m altitu<strong>de</strong> and un<strong>de</strong>r 50 ppm for locatives above 1500 altitu<strong>de</strong>. In <strong>Mérida</strong> state there are 3 kinds of water hardness governed by calcium cont<strong>en</strong>t. Localities like Zea and Tovar ( 910 and 952 in altitu<strong>de</strong> respectiv<strong>el</strong>y) in the south, Mucuchies and Aparta<strong>de</strong>ros (2983 and 3342 m altitu<strong>de</strong> respectiv<strong>el</strong>y) in the north Páramo shows waters hardness abnormally high re<strong>la</strong>ted to their altitu<strong>de</strong> because of <strong>de</strong>posits of high Calcium cont<strong>en</strong>t calcites in the local geology. In the western si<strong>de</strong> of the An<strong>de</strong>s mountains, water hardness increase principally due to the increase of magnesion cont<strong>en</strong>ts whereas to the eastern si<strong>de</strong>, the increase of water hardness is due to the increase of calcium cont<strong>en</strong>t. Bicarbonates cont<strong>en</strong>ts re<strong>la</strong>tes positiv<strong>el</strong>y with waters hardness, except in Lagunil<strong>la</strong>s and Cabimas. Zulia state and whose pH value were out of normal values range (6.5 – 8.5) showing possible contamination. Key words: Water, hardness, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonates. Revista Ci<strong>en</strong>cia e Ing<strong>en</strong>iería. Vol. 24 No. 1. 2003
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