Abstract:
Chromium is widely used in the tanning industry, generating much
chromium contaminated wastewater. A common technique for chromium removal is
chemical precipitation with alkaline solution. Electric arc furnace (EAF) dust is a scrap
by-product from the metal steel mill, it consists of various metals, especially iron and
zinc. The use of EAF dust to treat chrome tanning wastewater must be studied
exhaustively.
The main objective of this research was to study the removal efficiency of
chromium from chrome tanning wastewater using EAF dust. A laboratory scale with a
batch mode was used to determine the optimum treatment by varying EAF dust
concentrations (150, 200 and 250 g/L), contact time (1, 2 and 3 hours) and stirring
speed (150, 200 and 250 rpm).
Results indicated that the EAF dust concentrations, contact time and stirring
speed were the important operating factors influencing the treatment efficiency of the
chrome tanning wastewater treatment process. The study showed that when EAF dust
concentration, contact time and stirring speed increased, the chromium removal
efficiency tended to increase and the amount of zinc and suspended solid tended to
decrease.
The optimum removal conditions were found to consist of an EAF dust
concentration of 250 g/L, a contact time of 3 hours and a stirring speed of 200 rpm.
Under these conditions, the chromium removal efficiency was 99.98 %. The
chromium concentration in treated wastewater met the required industrial effluent
standard stipulated by the Ministry of Industry of Thailand, but the amount of zinc and
suspended solid (at a settling time of 4 hours) exceeded the required industrial effluent
standard stipulated by the Ministry of Industry of Thailand.