Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Toxicity of Hexavalent Chromium in Environment, Health Threats, and Its Bioremediation and Detoxification from Tannery Wastewater for Environmental Safety

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Bioremediation of Industrial Waste for Environmental Safety

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution in the environment has become one of the major concerns worldwide due to its long persistency in the environment and highly toxic nature in living beings. Heavy metals are often non-biodegradable in nature and hence persist for a long time in the environment, cause serious soil and water pollution, and create severe health hazards in humans and animals. Among heavy metals, chromium has been considered as the highly toxic inorganic pollutant, which is disposed off in the environment through various natural and anthropogenic sources. Chromium has been also listed as the priority pollutant by many environment and health protection agencies such as the US Environmental Protection Agency and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Hexavalent form of chromium has been reported to cause genotoxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic effects in living beings. Hence, the removal of chromium from tannery wastewater is urgently required. The physicochemical approaches are currently applied for the removal of chromium from tannery wastewater, which are not eco-friendly in nature and use a huge amount of chemicals to treat tannery wastewater. However, biological approaches can be an eco-friendly alternative to treat and detoxify the chromium-containing tannery wastewater prior to its disposal in the environment. This chapter provides a detailed information about the sources of chromium contamination in the environment and their toxic effects in human, animal, plants, as well as in microbes and bioremediation approaches for its detoxification from tannery wastewater for environmental and public health safety.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ahamed MN, Kashif PM (2014) Safety disposal of tannery effluent sludge: challenges to researchers-a review. Int J Pharm Sci Res 5:733–736

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ahemad M (2015) Enhancing phytoremediation of chromium-stressed soils through plant-growth-promoting bacteria. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 13(1):51–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amoozegar MA, Ghasemi A, Razavi MR, Naddaf S (2007) Evaluation of hexavalent chromium reduction by chromate-resistant moderately halophile, Nesterenkonia sp. strain MF2. Process Biochem 42:1475–1479

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arun N, Vidyalaxmi, Singh DP (2014) Chromium(VI) induced oxidative stress in halotolerant alga Dunaliella salina and D. tertiolecta isolated from sambhar salt lake of Rajasthan (India). Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-Grand France) 60:90–96

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arunakumara KKIU, Zhang X (2008) Heavy metal bioaccumulation and toxicity with special reference to microalgae. J Ocean Univ China 7:60–64

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ballantyne B, Timothy CM, Tore S (1999) General and applied toxicology, 2nd edn, vol 3. Macmillan Publishers. 2052–2062:2145–2155

    Google Scholar 

  • Belay AA (2010) Impacts of chromium from tannery effluent and evaluation of alternative treatment options. J Environ Prot 1:53–58

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bharagava RN, Saxena G, Mulla SI, Patel DK (2017a) Characterization and identification of recalcitrant organic pollutants (ROPs) in tannery wastewater and its phytotoxicity evaluation for environmental safety. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-017-0490-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bharagava RN, Saxena G, Chowdhary P (2017b) Constructed wetlands: an emerging phytotechnology for degradation and detoxification of industrial wastewaters. In: Bharagava RN (ed) Environmental pollutants and their bioremediation approaches, 1st edn. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, pp 397–426. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315173351-15

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Bharagava RN, Chowdhary P, Saxena G (2017c) Bioremediation: an ecosustainable green technology: its applications and limitations. In: Bharagava RN (ed) Environmental pollutants and their bioremediation approaches, 1st edn. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, pp 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315173351-2

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharya A, Gupta A, Kaur A, Malik D (2015) Simultaneous bioremediation of phenol and Cr (VI) from tannery wastewater using bacterial consortium. Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol 3(1):50–55

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bishnoi NR (2005) Fungus: an alternative for bioremediation of heavy metal containing wastewater: a review. J Sci Ind Res 64(2):93–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Cervantes C, Campos-García J, Devars S, Gutiérrez-Corona F, Loza-Tavera H, Torres-Guzmán JC, Moreno- Sánchez R (2001) Interactions of chromium with microorganisms and plants. FEMS Microbiol Rev 25(3):335–347

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chandra R, Bharagava RN, Kapley A, Purohit HJ (2011) Bacterial diversity, organic pollutants and their metabolites in two aeration lagoons of common effluent treatment plant (CETP) during the degradation and detoxification of tannery wastewater. Bioresour Technol 102:2333–2341

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chandra R, Saxena G, Kumar V (2015) Phytoremediation of environmental pollutants: an eco-sustainable green technology to environmental management. In: Chandra R (ed) Advances in biodegradation and bioremediation of industrial waste, 1st edn. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, pp 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1201/b18218-2

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng H, Zhou T, Li Q, Lu L, Lin C (2014) Anthropogenic chromium emissions in China from 1990 to 2009. PLoS One 9(2):87753

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheung KH, Gu JD (2007) Mechanism of hexavalent chromium detoxification by microorganisms and bioremediation application potential: a review. Int J Biodeter Biodegr 59:8–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Corleone J (2016) What is the best source of chromium in food? http://www.livestrong.com/article/199306-what-is-the-best-source-of-chromium-in-food/

  • Das AP, Mishra S (2008) Hexavalent chromium environment pollutant and health hazard. J Environ Res Dev 2:3

    Google Scholar 

  • Derek WJ (1999) Exposure or absorption and the crucial question of limit for mercury. J Can Dent Assoc 65:42–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Dias MA, Lacerda ICA, Pimentel PF, De Castro HF, Rosa CA (2002) Removal of heavy metals by an Aspergillus terreus strain immobilized in a polyurethane matrix. Lett Appl Microb 34:46–50

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dwivedi S (2012) Bioremediation of heavy metal by algae: current and future perspective. J Adv Lab Res Biol 3:229–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Fazeli MR, Tofighi H, Samadi N, Jamalifar H (2006) Effects of salinity on β-carotene production by Dunaliella tertiolecta DCCBC26 isolated from the Urmia salt lake, north of Iran. Bioresour Technol 97:2453–2456

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fernando L et al (1977) Toxicity and mutagenicity of hexavalent chromium on salmonella typhimurium. Appl Environ Microbiol 33:805–809

    Google Scholar 

  • Focardi S, Pepi M, Landi G, Gasperini S, Ruta M, Di Biasio P, Focardi SE (2012) Hexavalent chromium reduction by whole cells and cell free extract of the moderate halophilic bacterial strain Halomonas sp. TA-04. Int Biodeter Biodegr 66:63–70

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gautam S, Kaithwas G, Bharagava RN, Saxena G (2017) Pollutants in tannery wastewater, pharmacological effects and bioremediation approaches for human health protection and environmental safety. In: Bharagava RN (ed) Environmental pollutants and their bioremediation approaches, 1st edn. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, pp 369–396. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315173351-14

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Goiris K, Colen VW, Wilches I, León-Tamariz F, De Cooman L, Muylaert K (2015) Impact of nutrient stress on antioxidant production in three species of microalgae. Algal Res 7:51–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goutam SP, Saxena G, Singh V, Yadav AK, Bharagava RN (2018) Green synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles using leaf extract of Jatropha curcas L. for photocatalytic degradation of tannery wastewater. Chem Eng J 336:386–396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2017.12.029

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta A, Balomajumder C (2015) Phytoremediation of heavy metals and its mechanism: a brief review. J Integr Sci Technol 3(2):51–59

    Google Scholar 

  • Hörcsik Z, Oláh V, Balogh A, Mészáros I, Simon L, Lakatos G (2006) Effect of chromium (VI) on growth, element and photosynthetic pigment composition of Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Acta Biol Szeged 50:19–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Jahan MAA, Akhtar N, Khan NMS, Roy CK, Islam R, Nurunnabi M (2014) Characterization of tannery wastewater and its treatment by aquatic macrophytes and algae. Bangladesh J Sci Ind Res 49(4):233–242

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jahan MAA, Akhtar N, Khan NMS, Roy CK, Islam R, Nurunnabi M (2015) Characterization of tannery wastewater and its treatment by aquatic macrophytes and algae. Bangladesh J Sci Ind Res 49:233–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson J, Schewel L, Graedel TE (2006) The contemporary anthropogenic chromium 7 cycle. Environ Sci Technol 40:7060–7069

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joutey NT, Sayel H, Bahafid W, Ghachtouli NE (2015) Mechanisms of hexavalent chromium resistance and removal by microorganisms. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol 233:45–69

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kang SY, Lee JU, Kim KW (2007) Biosorption of Cr (III) and Cr (VI) onto the cell surface of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Biochem Eng J36:54–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kanmani P, Aravind J, Preston D (2012) Remediation of chromium contaminants using bacteria. Int J Environ Sci Technol 9:183–193

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaparapu J, Geddada MNR (2016) Applications of immobilized algae. Algal Biomass Util 7(2):122–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Kavita B, Keharia H (2012) Reduction of hexavalent chromium by Ochrobactrum intermedium BCR400 isolated from a chromium-contaminated soil. 3 Biotech 2:79–87

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kimbrough DE, Cohen Y, Winer AM, Creelman L, Mabuni C (1999) A critical assessment of chromium in the environment. Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol 29(1):1–46

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koller M, Muhr A, Braunegg G (2014) Microalgae as versatile cellular factories for valued products. Algal Res 6:52–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumari SB, Kirubavathy AK, Thirumalnesan R (2006) Stability and water quality criteria of open drainage municipal sewage water at Coimbatore used for irrigation. J Environ Biol 27:709–712

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuyucak N, Volesky B (1988) Biosorbents for recovery of metals from industrial solutions. Biotechnol Lett 10:137–142

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mala JGS, Sujatha D, Rose C (2015) Inducible chromate reductase exhibiting extracellular activity in Bacillus methylotrophicus for chromium bioremediation. Microbiol Res 170:235–241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mangkoedihardjo S, Ratnawati R, Alfianti N (2008) Phytoremediation of hexavalent chromium polluted soil using Pterocarpus indicus and Jatropha curcas L. World Appl Sci J 4(3):338–342

    Google Scholar 

  • Midha V, Dey A (2008) Biological treatment of tannery wastewater for sulfide removal. Int J Chem Sci 6(2):472–486

    Google Scholar 

  • Mishra S, Bharagava RN (2015) Toxic and genotoxic effects of hexavalent chromium in environment and its bioremediation strategies. J Environ Sci Health C 34(1):1–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore PD (1998) Essential elements from waste. Nature 333:706

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison GO, Fatoki OS, Ekberg A (2001) Assessment of the impact of point river. Water SA 27:475–480

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mubarak M, Shaija A, Suchithra TV (2015) A review on the extraction of lipid from microalgae for biodiesel production. Algal Res 7:117–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mwinyihija M (2010) Main pollutants and environmental impacts of the tanning industry. In: Ecotoxicological diagnosis in the tanning industry. Springer, New York, pp 17–35

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences NIEHS (2015) Hexavalent chromium. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/materials/hexavalent_chromium_508.pdf

  • Nayak AK, Jena RC, Jena S, Bhol R, Patra HK (2015) Phytoremediation of hexavalent chromium by Triticum aestivum L. Sci Agric 9(1):16–22

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noorjahan CM (2014) Physicochemical characteristics, identification of bacteria and biodegradation of industrial effluent. J Bioremed Biodegr 5:3

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira H (2012) Chromium as an environmental pollutant: insights on induced plant toxicity. Hindawi Publishing Corporation. J Bot 2012:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oze C, Bird DK, Fendorf S (2007) Genesis of hexavalent chromium from natural sources in soil and groundwater. Natl Acad Sci USA 104(16):6544–6549

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Panda SK, Chaudhury S (2005) Chromium stress in plant. Braz J Plant Physiol 17(1):95–102

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pandi M, Shashirekha V, Swamy M (2009) Bioabsorption of chromium from retan chrome liquor by cyanobacteria. Microbiol Res 164:420–428

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pillai P, Archana G (2012) A novel process for biodegradation and effective utilization of chrome shavings, a solid waste generated in tanneries, using chromium resistant Bacillus subtilis P 13. Process Biochem 47:2116–2122

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman Z, Singh VP (2014) Cr (VI) reduction by Enterobacter sp. DU17 isolated from the tannery waste dump site and characterization of the bacterium and the Cr (VI) reductase. Int Biodeter Biodegr 91:97–103

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Revathi K, Haribabu TE, Sudha PN (2013) Phytoremediation of Chromium contaminated soil using Sorghum plant. Int J Environ Sci 2:417–428

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards RG, Mullins BJ (2013) Using microalgae for combined lipid production and heavy metal removal from leachate. Ecol Model 249:59–67

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ryther JH, Dunstan WM, Tenore KR, Huguenin JE (1972) Controlled eutrophication increasing food production from the sea by recycling human wastes. Bioscience 22:144–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saxena G, Bharagava RN (2015) Persistent organic pollutants and bacterial communities present during the treatment of tannery wastewater. In: Chandra R (ed) Environmental waste management, 1st edn. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, pp 217–247. https://doi.org/10.1201/b19243-10

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Saxena G, Bharagava RN (2017) Organic and inorganic pollutants in industrial wastes, their ecotoxicological effects, health hazards and bioremediation approaches. In: Bharagava RN (ed) Environmental pollutants and their bioremediation approaches, 1st edn. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, pp 23–56. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315173351-3

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Saxena G, Chandra R, Bharagava RN (2016) Environmental pollution, toxicity profile and treatment approaches for tannery wastewater and its chemical pollutants. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol 240:31–69. https://doi.org/10.1007/398_2015_5009

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saxena G, Purchase D, Mulla SI, Saratale GD, Bharagava RN (2018) Phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated sites: environmental considerations, field studies, sustainability and future prospects. J Environ Manag

    Google Scholar 

  • Shakoori AR, Makhdoom M, Haq RU (2000) Hexavalent chromium reduction by a dichromate-resistant gram-positive bacterium isolated from effluents of tanneries. Appl Microb Biotechnol 53:348–351

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shanab S, Essa A, Shalaby E (2012) Bioremoval capacity of three heavy metals by some microalgae species (Egyptian Isolates). Plant Signal Behav 7(3):392–399

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shanker AK, Cervantes C, Loza-Taverac H, Avudainayagamd S (2005) Chromium toxicity in plants. Environ Int 31:739–753

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma S, Adholeya A (2011) Detoxification and accumulation of chromium from tannery effluent and spent chrome effluent by Paecilomyces lilacinus fungi. Int Biodeter Biodegr 65:309–317

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma V, Sachdeva MV, Sakhuja N, Arora D (2011) Impact of heavy metals (Chromium and Nickel) on the health of residents of Jagadhri city due to intake of contaminated underground water. Arch Appl Sci Res 3:207–212

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shashwat K (2011) Impact of tannery effluent with special reference to seasonal variation on physico-chemical characteristics of river water at Kanpur (U.P), India. J Environ Anal Toxicol 1:4

    Google Scholar 

  • Siddiquee S, Rovina K, Azad SA, Naher L, Suryani S, Pasicha C (2015) Heavy metal contaminants removal from wastewater using the potential filamentous fungi biomass: a review. J Microb Biochem Technol 7:384–393

    Google Scholar 

  • Sing SF, Isdepsky A, Borowitzka MA, Lewis DM (2014) Pilot-scale continuous recycling of growth medium for the mass culture of a halotolerant Tetraselmis sp. in raceway ponds under increasing salinity: a novel protocol for commercial microalgal biomass production. Bioresour Technol 161:47–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh JS, Abhilash PC, Singh HB, Singh RP, Singh DP (2011) Genetically engineered bacteria: an emerging tool for environmental remediation and future research perspectives. Gene 480:1–9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith WL (2001) Hexavalent chromium reduction and precipitation by sulphate-reducing bacterial biofilms. Environ Geochem Health 23:297–300

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sneddon C (2012) Chromium and its negative effects on the environment. http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/health/case_studies/chromium.html

  • Srivastava S, Thakur IS (2006) Isolation and process parameter optimization of Aspergillus sp. for removal of chromium from tannery effluent. Bioresour Technol 97:1167–1117

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava S, Ahmad AH, Thakur IS (2007) Removal of chromium and pentachlorophenol from tannery effluents. Bioresour Technol 98:1128–1132

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thacker U, Parikh R, Shouche Y, Madamwar D (2006) Hexavalent chromium reduction by Providencia sp. Process Biochem 41:1332–1337

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Verma P, Singh S, Verma RK (2016) Heavy metal biosorption by Fusarium strains isolated from iron ore mines overburden soil. Int J EnvironSci Toxicol Res 4(4):61–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Vilchez C, Garbayo I, Lobato MV, Vega J (1997) Microalgae-mediated chemicals production and wastes removal. Enzyme Microb Technol 20:562–572

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Volesky B (1990) Biosorption of heavy metals. CRC press, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Wase DAJ, Forster CF, Ho YS (1997) Low-cost biosorbents: batch processes. In: Biosorbents for metal ions, pp 141–163

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao R, Wang B, Cai QT, Li XX, Liu M, Hu D, Fan C (2016) Bioremediation of hexavalent chromium pollution by Sporosarcina saromensis M52 isolated from offshore sediments in Xiamen, China. Biomed Environ Sci 29(2):127–136

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhitkovich A (2011) Chromium in drinking water: sources, metabolism, and cancer risks. Chem Res Toxicol 24:1617–1629

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zili D, Jinping W, Chunhai J, Cougui C (2016) Isolation of heavy metal-resistant fungi from contaminated soil and co-culturing with rice seedlings. Afr J Microbiol Res 10(28):1080–1085

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

The author is extremely thankful to the Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science, Central University of Rajasthan, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India

    Vidya Laxmi & Garima Kaushik

Authors
  1. Vidya Laxmi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Garima Kaushik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Garima Kaushik .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Bioremediation and Metagenomics Research (LBMR), Department of Microbiology (DM), Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (A Central University), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Gaurav Saxena

  2. Laboratory of Bioremediation and Metagenomics Research (LBMR), Department of Microbiology (DM), Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (A Central University), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Ram Naresh Bharagava

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Laxmi, V., Kaushik, G. (2020). Toxicity of Hexavalent Chromium in Environment, Health Threats, and Its Bioremediation and Detoxification from Tannery Wastewater for Environmental Safety. In: Saxena, G., Bharagava, R. (eds) Bioremediation of Industrial Waste for Environmental Safety. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1891-7_11

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation