of harmful chromium in the soil (Babyshakila and Usha 2009). At high level,
chromium is mutagenic, noxious, carcinogenic, and teratogenic in nature and subsists as an extremely poisonous anion. Apart from chromium, chlorides and nitrates
also released as the end product, when sodium chloride is used as a raw material
(Mondal et al. 2005) in the tanning process. Increase in pH of the soil results due to
alkalization caused by presence of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium
chloride, and calcium chloride produced during the tanning process (Tadesse and
Guya 2017).
16.4.2 Water Profile
Effluents produced during tannery operations release color and diminish the quality
of the water that is why they are of a large scale environmental concern (Pepper et al.
1996). Waste produced during the tannery process is consists of biodegradable
organic matter, such as carbohydrates and proteins, which is responsible for the
depletion of dissolved oxygen level of the water body, resulting from microbial
decomposition of organic matter (Mwinyihija et al. 2006).
Due to reduction in oxygen level, anaerobic activity starts in the water system,
and it will lead to the release of toxic gases into the water body which is harmful for
the survival of aquatic species (Mwinyihija et al. 2006), (Barman and Lal 1994).
Fishes and other aquatic animals are badly affected by the presence of sulphide
released during the tannery process.
16.4.3 Vegetable and Plant Growth
Crop growth and yield gets highly affected when water from the tannery is used as
source of irrigation (Camplin 2001). Further, it leads to the accumulation of different
heavy toxic metals through the food chain at different tropical levels. Wastewater
generated from tanneries, if used for irrigating crop, causes phytotoxicity in plants
and results in salinity stress in plants. It affects various metabolic activities that lead
to reduction of vegetative growth and also reproductive growth loss of plants in long
term. Apart from this, it affects activities, such as photosynthesis, respiration, mitotic
activities, and shortened germ sprouting and also leads to the increase in number of
reactive oxygen species in the system (Camplin 2001). Accumulation of heavy
metals depends upon number of factors, such as plant species, pH, redox, cation
exchange capacity, dissolved oxygen, secretion of roots, temperature, and its bioavailability and element present in waste.
Studies suggest that all the parameters responsible for vegetative growth and
biomass are reduced in sunflower due to the increase in effluent discharge from
tanneries, and this adversely affects sunflower’s root and shoot development (Rusan
et al. 2007). Similarly, another study had also shown the same adverse growth effect
586
N. Patel et al.
chromium is mutagenic, noxious, carcinogenic, and teratogenic in nature and subsists as an extremely poisonous anion. Apart from chromium, chlorides and nitrates
also released as the end product, when sodium chloride is used as a raw material
(Mondal et al. 2005) in the tanning process. Increase in pH of the soil results due to
alkalization caused by presence of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium
chloride, and calcium chloride produced during the tanning process (Tadesse and
Guya 2017).
16.4.2 Water Profile
Effluents produced during tannery operations release color and diminish the quality
of the water that is why they are of a large scale environmental concern (Pepper et al.
1996). Waste produced during the tannery process is consists of biodegradable
organic matter, such as carbohydrates and proteins, which is responsible for the
depletion of dissolved oxygen level of the water body, resulting from microbial
decomposition of organic matter (Mwinyihija et al. 2006).
Due to reduction in oxygen level, anaerobic activity starts in the water system,
and it will lead to the release of toxic gases into the water body which is harmful for
the survival of aquatic species (Mwinyihija et al. 2006), (Barman and Lal 1994).
Fishes and other aquatic animals are badly affected by the presence of sulphide
released during the tannery process.
16.4.3 Vegetable and Plant Growth
Crop growth and yield gets highly affected when water from the tannery is used as
source of irrigation (Camplin 2001). Further, it leads to the accumulation of different
heavy toxic metals through the food chain at different tropical levels. Wastewater
generated from tanneries, if used for irrigating crop, causes phytotoxicity in plants
and results in salinity stress in plants. It affects various metabolic activities that lead
to reduction of vegetative growth and also reproductive growth loss of plants in long
term. Apart from this, it affects activities, such as photosynthesis, respiration, mitotic
activities, and shortened germ sprouting and also leads to the increase in number of
reactive oxygen species in the system (Camplin 2001). Accumulation of heavy
metals depends upon number of factors, such as plant species, pH, redox, cation
exchange capacity, dissolved oxygen, secretion of roots, temperature, and its bioavailability and element present in waste.
Studies suggest that all the parameters responsible for vegetative growth and
biomass are reduced in sunflower due to the increase in effluent discharge from
tanneries, and this adversely affects sunflower’s root and shoot development (Rusan
et al. 2007). Similarly, another study had also shown the same adverse growth effect
586
N. Patel et al.