ABSTRACT
The treatment of tannery wastewater has become a socio-economic problem worldwide as this sector has achieved optimal growth in economic activity but remains detrimental towards the environment. The wastewater discharged from tanneries is highly loaded and has high volumes of organic demand. Numerous diseases have been caused due to chromium released from tannery industries. Still, chromium handling in modern tanning processes remains one of the most serious issues for environmentalists. This book chapter is made up of three main objectives. Firstly, this it reviews the physico-chemical qualities of tannery effluents, including the occupational health effects. Secondly, it critically evaluates the applicability of various conventional wastewater treatment processes such as physical, chemical, and biological processes in treating tannery effluents, with an emphasis on the removal of hexavalent chromium. Thirdly, recent advancements in the area of tannery wastewater treatment are incorporated and elaborated, such as the application of electrocoagulation, biosorbents, advanced oxidation processes, and photocatalytic processes.
