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ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL TOXIC RELEASES FROM LEATHER INDUSTRY DYEING OPERATIONS
Citation:
Radding, S., J. Jones, W. Mabey, D. Liu, AND N. Bohonos. ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL TOXIC RELEASES FROM LEATHER INDUSTRY DYEING OPERATIONS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/2-78/215.
Description:
The study focused on the organic dyes released to the environment in the wastewaters from leather dyeing operations. Basically, three types of dyes--acid, basic, and direct--are used, although the number of different dyes are well over 50, and the number of formulations used at a single tannery over the period of several years can be greater than 100. Tannery wastewaters are complex mixtures which for the most part are discharged directly into municipal sewers. The character of this discharge will differ hourly depending on the operation performed since tanning operations are batch mode. Estimates based on information from suppliers and tanners were made of the probable discharge of dyes in wastewater. The literature search revealed little or no data on the fate of these dyes in the environment. From consideration of the physical and chemical properties of the dyes, biosorption (complexing with proteinaceous material) appears to be the most likely mechanism for removal of dyes in biological wastewater treatment systems.