Personal profile
Research Interests
This body of work centers on the intersection of environmental science, water resource management, and UV photonics to improve disinfection, water quality assessment, and sustainable treatment technologies. Across studies, the researcher programs and analyzes UV-based inactivation of fungi (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium sp.) and bacteria (E. coli) in continuous flow and collimated-LED reactors, examining inactivation efficiency, post-treatment photoreactivation, dose requirements, and strain-specific repair mechanisms. Complementing disinfection, the work develops data-driven water quality monitoring using regression trees and random forests (WQI NSF, 3-parameter models with fecal coliforms, nitrates, and pH) for river basins, underscoring the importance of low-parameter yet accurate predictors for continuous monitoring. The environmental engineering facet extends to wastewater treatment modeling (ASM1 in Ucubamba and Guangarcucho plants), hydrological modeling (HEC-HMS for Captacay; river morphologies; Thornthwaite balance), and the evaluation of UV and advanced oxidation processes (photocatalysis with ZnO from recycled batteries) for safe water and treated effluents. Several works address rural sanitation, subsurface wetlands, and pilot-scale wastewater treatments (Iris pseudacorus habitats), emphasizing community acceptance, sustainable design, and cost-effective performance. Collectively, the research advances sustainable water treatment technologies, uncovers the nuanced behavior of UV-based disinfection and post-exposure recovery, demonstrates data-driven monitoring as a scalable tool, and informs policy-relevant hydrological and environmental management strategies with a strong emphasis on circular economy approaches (recycling ZnO catalysts, biodiesel from waste oil). The methodologies span laboratory reactors, field data analysis, kinetic modeling, machine learning, GIS/remote sensing, and hydrological simulation, positioning the author as a multidisciplinary contributor to safe water, public health, and sustainable resource management in the Latin American context.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 2 Zero Hunger -
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 4 Quality Education -
SDG 5 Gender Equality -
SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation -
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy -
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth -
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities -
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities -
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production -
SDG 13 Climate Action -
SDG 14 Life Below Water -
SDG 15 Life on Land
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Predictive modeling based on artificial intelligence for obtaining microbial kinetics in the degradation of organic matter in wastewater and pilot evaluation of industrial processes
Duque Sarango, P. J. (Col) & Matovelle Bustos, C. M. (PI)
2/03/26 → …
Project: Research and Development
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Advanced Monitoring of Trihalomethane Compounds in Drinking Water Systems through Temporal and Spatial Analysis to Improve Water Resource Security
Duque Sarango, P. J. (PI), Mera Parra, C. P. (Col), Gutierrez Lopez, M. S. (Col), Cardenas Patiño, C. M. (Student), Pesantez Lozano, J. F. (Student) & Zabala Fernandez, A. A. (Student)
30/06/25 → …
Project: Research and Development
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Implementation of an environmental quality and vulnerability observatory
Duque Sarango, P. J. (Col), Mera Parra, C. P. (Col) & Aguilar Ramirez, S. D. (PI)
5/05/25 → …
Project: Research and Development
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Evaluation of Hydraulic Conductivity and Soil Parameters Against Anthropogenic Pressure and Climate Change
Duque Sarango, P. J. (Col), Montalvo Cedillo, C. A. (Col), Mera Parra, C. P. (PI), Gutierrez Lopez, M. S. (Col), Vasquez Pugo, A. D. (Student), Barbecho Serpa, A. E. (Student), Tenesaca Verdugo, G. A. (Student), Plaza Chavez, C. E. (Student), Mera Parra, P. D. (External), Medina Apolo, K. J. (Student) & Vallejo Madero, D. S. (Student)
18/12/24 → …
Project: Research and Development
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Determination of the Temporal and Spatial Occurrence of Trihalomethanes in the Drinking Water Supply of Cuenca City - Ecuador
Duque Sarango, P. J. (PI) & Montalvo Cedillo, C. A. (Col)
18/01/24 → 28/02/25
Project: Research and Development
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Morphological Diversity and Preliminary DNA Barcoding of Xylaria (Xylariales) from Estación Científica San Francisco, Including Xylaria aenea as a New Record for Ecuador
Cruz, D., Suárez, J. P., Chamba, A., Duque Sarango, P., Espinosa, L. & Vandregrift, R., Mar 2026, In: Journal of Fungi. 12, 3, 211.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Smart Irrigation Technology, Ensuring Water Availability: An Automated Approach for Greenhouse Water Management
Duque-Sarango, P., Robles, K. & Cedillo, S., 2026, Smart Technologies, Systems and Applications - 4th International Conference, SmartTech-IC 2024, Revised Selected Papers. Narváez, F. R., Villa, M. N. & Díaz, G. M. (eds.). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, p. 283-295 13 p. (Communications in Computer and Information Science; vol. 2393 CCIS).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review
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Sustainable bioplastics based on shrimp chitin: mechanical characterization and biodegradability evaluation
Amaya, J. B. & Duque Sarango, P., 2026, In: Polimeros. 36, 1, e20260001.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Advancing Waterborne Fungal Spore Control: UV-LED Disinfection Efficiency and Post-Treatment Reactivation Analysis
Duque-Sarango, P., Delgado-Armijos, N., Romero-Martínez, L., Cruz, D. & Pinos-Vélez, V., Apr 2025, In: Water (Switzerland). 17, 7, 922.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access4 Link opens in a new tab Scopus citations -
Bosques de Ribera: Guardianes Silenciosos de la Calidad del Agua del Río Tomebamba en Cuenca, Ecuador
Translated title of the contribution :Riparian Forests: Silent Guardians of the Water Quality of the Tomebamba River in Cuenca, Ecuador Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
Press/Media
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New Livestock Study Findings Have Been Reported by Researchers at Universidad Politecnica Salesiana (Emerging contaminants in rural water: microplastic pollution and its association with agricultural, livestock, and industrial activities in ...)
Zea Cobos, A. G., Duque Sarango, P. J. & Portilla Farfan, F. L.
27/11/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media