CHEMICAL AND SPECTROSCOPIC APPROACHES TO DETERMINE THE ADSORPTION OF CHROMIUM SPECIES TO SALTBUSH (ATRIPLEX CANESCENS) BIOMASS

摘要

Heavy metals tend to accumulate in the environment causing various diseases and disorders in living organisms. Cr enters into water resources from industrial processes such as electroplating, tanning, pigment, dye and printing. This metal usually occurs in trivalent or hexavalent oxidation states in soil and water. Although both Cr species are toxic, hexavalent Cr poses a greater health risk due to its carcinogenic activity. Because of this, many researchers have focused on Cr removal from soil and water. The conventional metal removal procedures include filtration, flocculation, reverse osmosis, solvent extraction and ion exchange resins. In general, these techniques are associated with high energy requirements, incomplete removal, generation of wastes that requires special disposal and potential health risks. The most common treatment for Cr in industrial effluents involves the reduction of Cr(VI) to the less toxic Cr(III), the precipitation of Cr(III) into Cr(OH)3 at high pH values and the separation of the precipitate. This procedure has been found to be expensive and produces contaminated wastes.