Tannery Waste Water Treatment: A Review

The transformation of hides into leather is usually done by using tanning agents and a highly turbid, colored and foul smelling wastewater is generated in the process. The major components of the effluent include sulphide, chromium, volatile organic compounds, large quantities of solid waste, suspended solids like animal hair and trimmings. The various components present in the effluent affect human beings, agriculture and livestock besides causing severe ailments to the tannery workers. The environmental protection regulations stipulate that industries be not allowed to emit sulphide and chromium in the wastewater. Thus, removal of sulphide and chromium from the wastewater is very important. A number of researchers worked on the removal of sulphide and chromium from the wastewater streams, but little has been reported on the sulphide, chrome and other toxic components removal from the tannery wastewater. In this review, characteristics of tannery wastewater and methods tannery wastewater treatment have been discussed.

Key words: Tannery, Hexavalent Chromium,Wastewater, Chemical, Biological, Physical