Determination of the Composition of Wastewater from Individual Processes of Leather Tanning Production in a Small Plant

Abstract

The article introduces one of the leather industries, the tanning industry, which is responsible for some of the most critical processes that leather undergoes before it is used in subsequent parts of the industry. Since the processes carried out require significant amounts of water, they generate equally large amounts of wastewater, which, as industrial wastewater, requires appropriate treatment. Additionally, due to the quantities and complexity of the processes carried out, the chemicals used become demanding in terms of how they are treated and managed. The parameters of wastewater subjected to a collection in a typical tank are changed. In contrast, wastewater from chromium tanning processes, which should be discharged into a separate tank, is a source of chromium pollution with its high content, thus posing a significant danger to the environment. The study made it possible to assess the biodegradability of wastewater generated during production and the concentration of chromium compounds and other pollutants. Based on the results, it was found that the wastewater generated during the production process is biodegradable (except for mixed wastewater), and the concentration of chromium is 2.81–3.11 g/dm 3 .