The landfill is a final disposal technique to confine municipal solid waste (MSW), where organic matter is degraded generating leachate and biogas composed of methane gases (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gases that contribute to global warming. The objective of the current research was to estimate the amount of biogas generated through the LandGEM 3.03 mathematical model to determine the amount of electrical energy generated and the number of homes that would be supplied with electrical energy from 2021 to 2144. As a result of the application, it was estimated that in the Pichacay landfill, the highest point of biogas generation in 2053 would be 76,982,177 (m3/year) that would generate 81,226,339.36 (kWh/year), and would supply 5083 homes with electricity. Similarly, in the Las Iguanas landfill, the highest point would be 693,975,228 (m3/year) of biogas that produces 73,223,5296.7 (kWh/year) and would supply electricity to 45,825 homes. Of the performed gas analyses in the Pichacay landfill in 2020, an average of 51.49% CH4, 40.35% CO2, 1.75% O2 and 17.8% H2S was presented, while in the Las Iguanas landfill, for 2020 and 2021, we obtained an average of 51.88/CH4, 36.62% CO2, 1.01% O2 and 187.58 ppm H2S. Finally, the biogas generated by being harnessed minimizes the impacts related to global warming and climate change and would contribute electricity to the nearby communities.

The Amazon Region of Ecuador (ARE) hosts a great variety of biodiversity and ecosystems. These hotspots are internationally recognized for presenting unique fauna and flora found nowhere else in the world. Within the ARE, there is the Yasuní National Park (YNP), a recognized Biosphere Reserve located in the sub-basins of various rivers. The study area is the “ITT Oil Block” (Ishpingo, Tambococha, and Tiputini), situated in the Province of Orellana and superimposed on the YNP. The block has an area of 179,449.53 ha. The main objective of the current study was to analyze the multi-temporality of land-use change in the ITT Oil Block of the ARE. In the methodological process, the PCI Geomatic and ARCGIS programs were used for the processing and classification of satellite images (Landsat 7 and 8). The changes in land use in the ITT Oil Block over the three periods (2001, 2014, and 2017) indicated that forest cover decreased by 24.23% in soils, while infrastructure and cultivation increased throughout the time period by 0.27% and 0.23%, respectively. The most significant land-use change rate in the ITT Oil Block in the period 2001–2017 are the categories of bare soil with 9.01% (10,640.82 ha) and cultivation with 7.27% (591.29 ha).

No abstract

A landslide generated an environmental risk due to a provoked oil spill on April 7, 2020, with the SOTE and OCP pipelines rupture. This research aims to determine the areas susceptible to landslides in the river basin Quijos of the Coca River and estimate the environmental risk from exposure to the oil spill. A water analysis of the Coca River was performed by using the Mora-Vahrson method and GIS tools. The subsequent water sampling was probabilistic in a simple random way, and the analyzed parameters were oils and grease, Ba, Cd, Cr, BOD, COD, TPH, OD, Pb, and SST. The results show that 61.17% (572.68 km2) of the total studied area (936.19 km2) is susceptible to landslide hazards. In detail, 0.25% (2.34 km2) of the area is considered to be of very high susceptibility, 26.72% (250.12 km2) of high susceptibility, 11.82% (110.66 km2) of moderate susceptibility, and 0.04 (0.37 km2) of low susceptibility. Four of them were within the permissible limits from the ten analyzed parameters, which correspond to Ba with 0.70 mg/L, OD with 7.4% of saturation, BOD5 with 2 mg/L, and COD with 25 mg/L. The other six parameters, including oils and fats, exhibited a significant increase in concentrations after the oil spill, yielding Cd 0.05 mg/L, total Cr 0.45 mg/L, TPH 0.20 mg/L, Pb 0.20 mg/L, and SST 20%. These results are outside the permissible limits, meaning that the river waters are contaminated.

Recibido: 1 de mayo del 2019Aprobado: 15 de junio del 2019 En la actualidad la generación de residuos sólidos es una problemática ambiental y socioeconómica a nivel mundial. En Ecuador cada habitante en promedio por día genera 0,58kg de residuos sólidos en la zona urbana. Este valor general puede ser extrapolado a cada una de las provincias y cantones del país como en el caso del Cantón Santiago de Pillaro de la provincia de Tungurahua. Los principales resultados obtenidos en este estudio son; Población total del Cantón Santiago de Pillaro 38357 habitantes de los cuales se entrevistó a 89 familias, el 47% pertenecen a un estrato socioeconómico Medio (B). Los residuos sólidos que produce este estrato en mayor porcentaje son residuos orgánicos (53,1%) seguido del plástico (12,68%) y la basura común (11,46%) principalmente. Según investigaciones realizadas en algunas ciudades de México con el mismo estrato que el Cantón Santiago de Pillaro indica que entre los estratos socioeconómicos no hay diferencias significativas en cuanto a la generación per cápita de residuos sólidos domésticos. A pesar de esto, cabe señalar que las diferencias encontradas en este estudio acerca de la relación de los estratos socioeconómicos y la generación de residuos sólidos no es significativo debido a que el estrato Medio Alto no tiene habitantes permanentes.