REMOVAL OF HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM FROM WASTE WATER BY ADSORPTION USING SUGARCANE BAGASSE AND RICE STRAW

Abstract

Due to the advancement in Chemical Engineering, it has brought ever increasing compounds in waste streams, both as rejected bye-products of industrial processes and as residues of common commercial products. This has resulted in the degradation of quality of receiving bodies of water and land and thereby impairing their beneficial use. The Chromium is found in waste water in two forms either in hexavalent or in trivalent form. Hexavalent chromium is considered to be 100 times more toxic than trivalent chromium, while metallic chromium relatively non toxic. The metal has variety of industrial applications which includes its use in high tensile corrosion resistant alloys and in cutting tools, in plating, in anticorrosion paints, in wood preservatives, in photographic industry and many more. Particularly hexavalent Chromium are known to be detrimental to human beings and animals. Over exposure of chrome workers in Chromium dust and mist was related to irritation and corrosion of skin and respiratory tract, and probably lung carcinoma. Ingestion may cause epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, severe diarrohoea and haemorrhage. It also effects the biological activity of the biological reactors and thereby makes them unfit for proper functioning.