354
Table 14.2 Common sources and health problems due to hazardous heavy metals
Metal Common source of contamination
Health hazards
Pb
Industries such as fertilizer, petrochemical,
automobile industries, and oil refineries
Lead is responsible for damaging the
liver, kidney, neuron, brain, etc.
Cu
Pesticides, electroplating, and paper industry
are main source of copper discharge in the
water stream
Though copper is useful for human,
excessive amount of copper in living
beings may cause serious health
problems
Cr
Chromium ion comes in wastewater from
electroplating, leather, paper, chromate
preparation, manufacturing of dye,
petrochemical, etc.
Chromium causes diseases like cancer,
lung problem, irritation of skin, etc.
Hg
Main sources of the contamination of the water
are thermal power plants, pharmaceutical
waste, power plants, and electronics material
Mercury makes problem in the heart,
kidneys, brain, and lungs
As
Arsenic discharging sources are mining,
thermal power plants, fuel, electronic material,
mining industries, metallurgy, and
pharmaceuticals industries
Arsenic causes serious health problems
such as skin disease, respiratory
problem, gastrological, and nervous
systems
Ni
Nickel contaminates the water stream from
industries such as electroplating, textiles,
thermal power plants, ceramics, battery, etc.
Nickel has the cacogenic effect in the
human body. It causes neurological,
cardio, and pulmonary problems
Cd
Cadmium contaminates the water from waste
batteries, electronics wastes, and paints
industries
Cadmium may create different health
problems such as lung disease, chest
pain, bone defects, and high blood
pressure
Zn
Electroplating industries are the major sources
of zinc contamination in wastewater
Due to zinc contamination, health
diseases like vomiting and damages of
the kidney and liver may arise
Table 14.3 Chemical precipitation process
Heavy
metals
Metal
concentration
(mg/L)
pH
Precipitant
Percent
removal References
Zn
2+
32
9–10 Calcium oxide
99–99.3 Ghosh et al.
(2011)
Pb
2+
, Cu
2+
,
Cr
3+
, Zn
2+
100
7–11 Calcium oxide
99.37–
99.6
Chen et al.
(2009)
Pb
2+
Cu
2+
,
Zn
2+
,
2.3 0, 018, 1.34 3.0
Hydrogen sulfide
92–100 Alvarez
et al. (2007)
Cr
3+
5363
8.0
Calcium oxide and magnesium
oxide
>99
Guo et al.
(2006)
Hg
2+
65.6, 188
4.7,
6.4
1,3-benzenediamidoethanethiolate >99.9
Blue et al.
(2008)
S. Biswas and S. Nag
Table 14.2 Common sources and health problems due to hazardous heavy metals
Metal Common source of contamination
Health hazards
Pb
Industries such as fertilizer, petrochemical,
automobile industries, and oil refineries
Lead is responsible for damaging the
liver, kidney, neuron, brain, etc.
Cu
Pesticides, electroplating, and paper industry
are main source of copper discharge in the
water stream
Though copper is useful for human,
excessive amount of copper in living
beings may cause serious health
problems
Cr
Chromium ion comes in wastewater from
electroplating, leather, paper, chromate
preparation, manufacturing of dye,
petrochemical, etc.
Chromium causes diseases like cancer,
lung problem, irritation of skin, etc.
Hg
Main sources of the contamination of the water
are thermal power plants, pharmaceutical
waste, power plants, and electronics material
Mercury makes problem in the heart,
kidneys, brain, and lungs
As
Arsenic discharging sources are mining,
thermal power plants, fuel, electronic material,
mining industries, metallurgy, and
pharmaceuticals industries
Arsenic causes serious health problems
such as skin disease, respiratory
problem, gastrological, and nervous
systems
Ni
Nickel contaminates the water stream from
industries such as electroplating, textiles,
thermal power plants, ceramics, battery, etc.
Nickel has the cacogenic effect in the
human body. It causes neurological,
cardio, and pulmonary problems
Cd
Cadmium contaminates the water from waste
batteries, electronics wastes, and paints
industries
Cadmium may create different health
problems such as lung disease, chest
pain, bone defects, and high blood
pressure
Zn
Electroplating industries are the major sources
of zinc contamination in wastewater
Due to zinc contamination, health
diseases like vomiting and damages of
the kidney and liver may arise
Table 14.3 Chemical precipitation process
Heavy
metals
Metal
concentration
(mg/L)
pH
Precipitant
Percent
removal References
Zn
2+
32
9–10 Calcium oxide
99–99.3 Ghosh et al.
(2011)
Pb
2+
, Cu
2+
,
Cr
3+
, Zn
2+
100
7–11 Calcium oxide
99.37–
99.6
Chen et al.
(2009)
Pb
2+
Cu
2+
,
Zn
2+
,
2.3 0, 018, 1.34 3.0
Hydrogen sulfide
92–100 Alvarez
et al. (2007)
Cr
3+
5363
8.0
Calcium oxide and magnesium
oxide
>99
Guo et al.
(2006)
Hg
2+
65.6, 188
4.7,
6.4
1,3-benzenediamidoethanethiolate >99.9
Blue et al.
(2008)
S. Biswas and S. Nag