Surface Water Pollution due To Hazardous Waste from Leather Tanning Industry in Colombo District- Sri Lanka
Author(s): Ranjana UK Piyadasa and SJS Bandara
Abstract: Surface water pollution has many sources and it is generally induced by anthropogenic activities. This study revealed on industrial hazardous waste which is generated by Chromium based leather tanning industry in Colombo District. The research study was conducted to identify industrial hazardous wastes which are generated by Chromium base leather tanning industry in the Colombo District. There are two types of tanning systems namely vegetable tanning, which does not contain chromium, and chrome tanning. Chromium salt Sulphates are the most widely used tanning substances today. At high concentrations chromium is toxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic. Chromium exists in oxidation states of +2, +3, and +6. This study revealed on industrial hazardous waste which is generated by Chromium based leather tanning industry in Colombo District. According to the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) 2015, there are only two Chrome based tanneries are in operational level in Colombo District and others have closed or suspended due to non-compliance of CEA (Central Environmental Authority) regulations hence those two tanneries were selected for the study. Selected tanneries discharge their wastewaters through the one discharging point in to the Kelani River at Mattakkuliya area and use common chromium recovering facility to recover Chromium ions from the wastewater before discharge. Moreover untreated and treated wastewaters were analysed for total Chromium, by testing five hundred and thirty two wastewater and surface water samples at the laboratory during the 2015 -2016. Accordingly, the main pollutants were identified during the leather processing include, NaCl
2 (Sodium Chloride) and pesticides, strong alkalines and sulphides, inorganic residual compounds, dissolved matter and chromium salts. Also total Chromium in untreated wastewater was detected 10.32 mg/l as average and 15.81 mg/l as maximum levels although Chromium was detected in 0.028 mg/l as maximum level in discharging effluent after the Chrome recovery.
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How to cite this article:
Ranjana UK Piyadasa, SJS Bandara. Surface Water Pollution due To Hazardous Waste from Leather Tanning Industry in Colombo District- Sri Lanka. Int J Geogr Geol Environ 2021;3(1):31-33.
