Removal of Chromate in Trace Concentration Using Ion Exchange From Tannery Wastewater

The removal of chromate ions in trace concentration from tannery wastewater effluent using Ion exchange technique was carried out by varying parameters such as Chromate concentration and contact time. A maximum of 99% removal efficiency in the batch Ion exchange process was achieved over an equilibrium contact time of 20min. The equilibrium uptake of chromate was constant at average 9.8mg/L for initial chromate concentration of 10mg/L irrespective of the high concentration of chloride and sulphate ions in the wastewater. This inferred that the interference of these co-ions have no significant effect on the chromate uptake by the ions exchange resins used in this study. While, in the column experiments high effectiveness in the removal of chromate ions in trace concentration was observed. A removal efficiency of 98% of chromate removal was achieved even in the presence of high concentration of competing Ions. Obviously, this has shown the selectively of the resin towards the chromate uptake. The ion-exchange technique was found to be appealing for the removal of trace concentration of chromate when in the background there is high concentration of chloride and sulphate co-ions present in the tannery wastewater.