Valorización de Residuos Peligrosos: Uso De Pilas Recicladas como Insumo Adsorbente en Tratamiento de Aguas

This study evaluates the reuse of recycled zinc-carbon batteries as a source of zinc oxide (ZnO) with photocatalytic properties applied to the treatment of contaminated water, specifically for bacterial inactivation. A comprehensive approach is proposed that combines the recycling of hazardous waste with sustainable technologies, such as UV-LED irradiation and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). ZnO was obtained from the thermal treatment of used batteries. To test its effectiveness, the bacterial strain E. coli ATCC 8739 was used, which was subjected to treatments with different concentrations of ZnO (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.6%) under UV irradiation at 365 nm. Bacterial quantification was performed by membrane filtration and chromogenic agar counting. The results showed that a concentration of 0.6% ZnO achieved a 99.9% reduction in microbial load in 15.6 minutes, comparable to the performance of commercial ZnO. This work demonstrates that recycled ZnO maintains its photocatalytic efficacy and offers an accessible and sustainable alternative for water disinfection. In addition, it promotes the circular economy and the recovery of hazardous waste, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals. It is concluded that this technology has potential for both rural and urban applications, although further studies on stability, residual toxicity, and scalability in real systems are recommended.