Industrial-scale production of leather \u00a0requires extremely high volumes of process water. The water is not only needed for transportation in the production process but also for various tasks such as removing or soaking the hides. The wastewater problem is correspondingly acute \u00a0especially in European producer countries like Italy and Spain but also in China, India, Korea, Brazil and the USA, to name just the most important producers.<\/p>\n
Treating waste water in tanneries ( leather industries) is a major issue due to the presence of metals such as Chromium.\u00a0\u00a0Chromium in the effluent is a major concern for tanning industry.\u00a0Chemical precipitation methods are commonly employed for the removal of chromium but this leads to formation of chrome-bearing solid waste, plus it is uneconomical when the concentration of chromium in the effluent is low. Ion exchange and membrane separation methods are relatively expensive.<\/p>\n
As a result of the specific production methods, the wastewater not only has high alkaline levels (pH value 10), but is also contaminated with chemicals such as sulphite and chrome, and has a high level of organic substances. This means that wastewater from tanneries cannot usually be discharged directly into public sewerage systems. To solve the problem, biochemical processing of the wastewater is a standard operation in many installations.<\/p>\n
Some algae have proved highly effective in removing chromium from tannery effluent. Treatment of tannery effluent can be achieved through a custom-designed high rate algal ponding process to generate and precipitate metal sulphides. Aerobic lagoons are also used for the treatment of tannery effluent. Aerobic lagoons are large, shallow earthen basins used for treatment of wastewater by natural processes involving both algae and bacteria.<\/p>\n
Research studies reveal that algae such as Spirogyra spp and Rhizoclonium have been employed in the leather industry to remove chromium from the tannery effluent.<\/p>\n
Read more from\u00a0Oilgae\u2019s Algae-Based Waste Water Treatment<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 The one and only such report in the world\u00a0 Oilgae has published a unique report to assist those keen on understanding the algae-based waste water treatment technology and those wanting to venture into this industry. The Oilgae\u2019s guide to waste water treatment is a comprehensive guide to understanding the algae-based waste water treatment, technolgies, challenges and the players that are involved in this industry.\u00a0Link<\/strong>\u00a0–http:\/\/www.oilgae.com\/ref\/report\/wastewater_treatment\/wastewater_treatment.html \u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Read Related Blogs:<\/p>\n Algae-based Wastewater Treatment in the Dyeing and Textile Industry<\/a><\/p>\n Commonly Used Algae Strains for Waste Water Treatment<\/a><\/p>\n Similarities and Differences of Treating Municipal Waste Water and Industrial Waste Water Using Algae<\/a><\/p>\n Microalgae and Waste Water Treatment \u2013 Why Employ Algae to Clean Up Waste Water?<\/a><\/p>\n Issues and Challenges Associated with Cleaning Waste Water Using Algae<\/a><\/p>\n