Propuesta de una revegetación con especies fitorremediadoras en una zona contaminada por petróleo en la parroquia San Carlos, cantón La Joya de los Sachas

Hydrocarbon spills in Ecuador have been identified as one of the most worrying environmental problems worldwide. In response to this problem, various organizations, companies, universities and students have sought strategies to promote environmental care. The current investigation focuses on the San Carlos parish, located in the canton of La Joya de los Sachas, province of Orellana, an area that has experienced multiple oil spills. The main objective of the proposal developed in this article is to carry out revegetation of contaminated areas through the introduction of phytoremediation plants. The intervention in the affected areas through the phytoremediation process seeks to reduce the dispersion of heavy metals, chemicals used in extraction and other contaminating liquids, as well as various waste derived from extractive activity. Given the environmental characteristics of the area, four main species of phytoremediation plants have been selected: Helianthus annuus, Leucaena leucocephala, Verbena litoralis and Tessaria integrifolia. These species have demonstrated specific capabilities to address the problem of soil contamination. For example, sunflower exhibits an absorption capacity that can reach up to 56 % of lead and cadmium in contaminated soils. On the other hand, gourd shows a 48 % growth in the accumulation of cadmium and lead. Verbena, for its part, contributes to the degradation of the contaminant in a range of 13,2 % to 17,4 % in contaminated soils, while Tessaria integrifolia stands out for its ability to accumulate chromium in contaminated soils.