16.6 Tannery Waste Management Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 589
16.6.1 Waste Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590
16.6.2 Cleaner Technology for Leather Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590
16.6.3 Management and Disposal of Sludge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590
16.6.4 Utilization of Sludge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590
16.6.5 Some Developed Techniques for Treatment of Tannery Effluents . . . . . . . . . . . . 591
16.6.6 Tannery Byproduct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591
16.7 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 592
Abstract Tannery industry is considered to be one of the most important industry
because of their economic, employment, and export potential. At the same time,
because of the discharge of untreated effluents, these are treated as primary source of
pollutants which has immense potential to pollute the soil and water. More than
200 chemicals are being used in this process, and further a mixture of complex toxic
substances, such as polychlorinated biphenyl, chromium, sulphides, nitrates, etc.,
gets discharged as waste. Chromium is considered as the most toxic to humans and
biota along with other environments. Various environmental agencies have enforced
regulations related to the discharge of these toxic chemicals in to the water bodies.
Thus, removal of toxic, such as hexavalent chromium, from the water becomes
utmost important. Less work has been reported for the removal of chromium,
sulphides, and toxic substances from tannery wastewater.
In this chapter, we have discussed (1) tanning process, which involves various
processes through which leather is produced in the tannery industry; (2) characteristics of tannery waste, i.e. liquid waste, solid waste, and gaseous waste; (3) effect of
waste on the environment that includes its effect on the soil, water, plant growth, and
plant and animal health; (4) treatment technologies, that involve various treatment
techniques through which these wastes can be treated or neutralized; and further
(5) tannery waste management.
Keywords Tannery · Effluents · Environments · Untreated · Hexavalent chromium ·
Toxic substances · Waste management · Wastewater
16.1 Introduction
The basic need of one’s life is water. Every organism, including human beings,
plants, and animals, needs this essential resource for their survival. Apart from
domestic purposes, such as drinking, cooking, washing, etc., water has many other
essential usages, such as in agricultural purposes, industrial purposes, hydropower
generation, and maintenance of healthy ecosystem (Bibi et al. 2016). While due to
the continuous increase in the population, demand of water is rising at a rapid rate in
order to satisfy their needs. Water is one of the main threats that the whole world is
578
N. Patel et al.
16.6.1 Waste Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590
16.6.2 Cleaner Technology for Leather Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590
16.6.3 Management and Disposal of Sludge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590
16.6.4 Utilization of Sludge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590
16.6.5 Some Developed Techniques for Treatment of Tannery Effluents . . . . . . . . . . . . 591
16.6.6 Tannery Byproduct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591
16.7 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 592
Abstract Tannery industry is considered to be one of the most important industry
because of their economic, employment, and export potential. At the same time,
because of the discharge of untreated effluents, these are treated as primary source of
pollutants which has immense potential to pollute the soil and water. More than
200 chemicals are being used in this process, and further a mixture of complex toxic
substances, such as polychlorinated biphenyl, chromium, sulphides, nitrates, etc.,
gets discharged as waste. Chromium is considered as the most toxic to humans and
biota along with other environments. Various environmental agencies have enforced
regulations related to the discharge of these toxic chemicals in to the water bodies.
Thus, removal of toxic, such as hexavalent chromium, from the water becomes
utmost important. Less work has been reported for the removal of chromium,
sulphides, and toxic substances from tannery wastewater.
In this chapter, we have discussed (1) tanning process, which involves various
processes through which leather is produced in the tannery industry; (2) characteristics of tannery waste, i.e. liquid waste, solid waste, and gaseous waste; (3) effect of
waste on the environment that includes its effect on the soil, water, plant growth, and
plant and animal health; (4) treatment technologies, that involve various treatment
techniques through which these wastes can be treated or neutralized; and further
(5) tannery waste management.
Keywords Tannery · Effluents · Environments · Untreated · Hexavalent chromium ·
Toxic substances · Waste management · Wastewater
16.1 Introduction
The basic need of one’s life is water. Every organism, including human beings,
plants, and animals, needs this essential resource for their survival. Apart from
domestic purposes, such as drinking, cooking, washing, etc., water has many other
essential usages, such as in agricultural purposes, industrial purposes, hydropower
generation, and maintenance of healthy ecosystem (Bibi et al. 2016). While due to
the continuous increase in the population, demand of water is rising at a rapid rate in
order to satisfy their needs. Water is one of the main threats that the whole world is
578
N. Patel et al.