REMOVAL OF CHROMIUM FROM WASTEWATER USING ADSORBENTS

Abstract

"The air is the Guru, water our Father, and the great earth our Mother." (JAPJI SAHIB) *'Ped Parinde Vayu Paani ang hamaare jeewan ke Dhoop Khala haryaali mausam rang hamaare jeewan ke Inhein Surakhshit rakhna hoga mil kar ham sab logoh ko Ek yahi saadhan hai jis se rokeinge sab rogon ko Pradoshit nahi hone deinge ham to paryawaran kabhi Jap tap pooja yog yahi hai, dharma yahi our karma yahi.' 'This shioka means that the whole universe together with its creatures belong to the-Lord (Nature) one can enjoy bounties of nature by giving up all greed. Implicit in this statement is that no creature is superior to others ,and human being should not have absolute power over nature. Let no one species encroach on the rights and priviledges of any other species.' 1.1 ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION Healthy environment is the most essential prerequisite of human life. But to-day man in his unquenching thirst for comforts, is so arrogantly misusing his environment that he is quite close to suffocating himself (1). There prevails environmental degradation detrimental to the existence of living species. All components of environment, viz., air, water, soil, noise etc-, are so sadly affected by the pollutants that the whole environment has been polluted. Pollution occurs when environmental changes create or likely to create nuisance or hazards to public health, safety or welfare or when they are harmful to domestic, industrial, agricultural, recreational or other legitimate uses of environmental components or livestock, wild-life, fish aquatic life and other biological species. All aspects of pollution or environment are directly or indirectly related to human health and well-being (2). Pollution thus has a great effect on living organism and in case appropriate steps are not taken to control environmental degradation, the life will become miserable. In fact, pollution has become a great menace to life and all the countries, whether developing or developed suffer from environmental crisis. The environment today is under severe threat from the pressure generated by the growth of human and animal populations, poverty and the misuse/unplanned use of natural resources (3). During the last quarter of the 2 century, this problem has become so acute that people belonging to all walks of life i.e., scientists, academics, poets, lovers of wild life, etc. have called to man's responsibility in this connection. No doubt, some fragmentary legislative and administrative steps have been taken to meet this challenge but the size and seriousness of the problem have been increasing day by day at a much greater pace. The problem is so acute that the hope, the humanity will be able to meet this challenge seems to recede. Infact, the impact of pollution is so alarming that according to WHO's estimates, as much as 80 percent of the world's diseases are traceable to water pollution(4).