Remediación de Andisoles Contaminados con Suero de Leche mediante la Aplicación de Fertilizantes Orgánicos

Introduction: Soil contamination by agro-industrial waste, such as whey, poses a significant threat to ecosystem sustainability and agricultural productivity.Objetive: This study evaluated the effectiveness of organic fertilizer as a bioremediation strategy for Andisols contaminated with whey in Villa Moreno, Buesaco (Nariño).Metodology: The impact on key physicochemical properties such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter (OM), cation exchange capacity (CEC), bulk density, and porosity was analyzed. A randomized block design was implemented with treatments of control soil, contaminated soil, and soil contaminated with two different doses of organic fertilizer (500 g and 1000 g per 3 kg of soil).Results: The results indicated that the addition of whey slightly acidified the soil and significantly increased its salinity. The application of organic fertilizer effectively neutralized the pH, improved the organic matter content and CEC, and reduced the bulk density, increasing porosity. Although both fertilizer doses were effective, the higher dose showed faster neutralization but also a higher risk of salinization.Conclusions: It is concluded that organic fertilizer is a viable and sustainable alternative for the remediation of soils contaminated by whey, although careful management of the dose is required to balance fertility recovery and salinity control.