Determination of Cadmium, Chromium and Lead from Industrial Wastewater in Kombolcha Town, Ethiopia Using FAAS

摘要

Industrial effluents discharged into the environment can cause a serious threat to agricultural products and health. In view of this, levels of some heavy metals, Cd, Cr and Pb were determined in wastewater samples collected from BGI brewery, textile, and tannery industry in Kombolcha town using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Based on the finding the average concentration at the point of discharge before treatment of their wastewaters for Cd is: 0.05 ± 0.002, 0.18 ± 0.006, 0.12 ± 0.003, for Cr is: 0.01 ± 0.002, 0.29 ± 0.003, 5.04 ± 0.110 and for Pb is: 0.15 ± 0.012, 1.97 ± 0.026 and 0.34 ± 0.012 respectively. On the other hand, the concentration at the point of discharge after treatment of their wastewaters for Cd is: 0.06 ± 0.004, 0.13 ± 0.003, 0.08 ± 0.003, for Cr is: 0.02 ± 0.001, 0.19 ± 0.002, 3.76 ± 0.018 and for Pb is: 0.11 ± 0.007, 1.53 ± 0.008 and 0.22 ± 0.014 respectively. The results obtained show that the mean values of all heavy metals in untreated wastewater samples (except Cd and Cr in BGI brewery) were significantly higher than the treated effluent (P<0.05). These mean values have also exceeded the acceptable limits of EPA and WHO.