Studies on Removal of Cr(VI) from Wastewater

Due to the rapid industrialization and technological advances, presence of toxic heavy metals in wastewater is an important economic and environmental issue in recent times. Excessive concentration of Chromium in soluble form is toxic and hazardous to almost all types of living organisms, from bacteria to humans. In the present work, studies have been performed on nickel oxide and manganese oxide nanoparticles, green mixed algae and bacterial species having chromium resistant plasmid for the removal of Chromium(VI) from wastewater. The NiO nanoparticles were synthesized using sol-gel method. The precursors used in the preparation of MnO nanoparticles are Manganous Chloride Tetrahydrate / Manganese Acetate Tetrahydrate and Oxalic acid with Ethanol as a solvent. The isolation and characterization of green mixed algae was done using SEM and EDX and the effect of pretreatments on Chromium(VI) uptake capacity of biosorbent for the different pretreatment methods were studied. The optimization of processes was done by Response Surface Methodology. The optimum process parameters to maximize the adsorption of Chromium(VI) from the mathematical model equations was the main aim of this study.