Occupational health risks and fate of chromium in sewage treatment co-treating tannery effluent
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Author (Corporation)
Publication date
29.10.2025
Type of student thesis
Course of study
Collections
Type
01A - Journal article
Editors
Editor (Corporation)
Supervisor
Parent work
Human and Ecological Risk Assessment
Special issue
DOI of the original publication
Link
Series
Series number
Volume
31
Issue / Number
9-10
Pages / Duration
1451-1470
Patent number
Publisher / Publishing institution
Taylor & Francis
Place of publication / Event location
Edition
Version
Programming language
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Practice partner / Client
Abstract
This study investigated chromium (Cr) concentrations and fate across processes at a sewage treatment plant (STP) co-treating tannery effluent and assessed health risks for STP workers and farmers using the effluent for irrigation. Two novel secondary treatments, an IPC membrane and a modified constructed wetland, were evaluated as a mitigation method. Methods combined key informant interviews (n = 4), observations (n = 4), Cr analyses (n = 132) and a mass balance approach to track the fate of Cr. Total Cr in the STP influent ranged from 2.49 to 14.95 mg/L, while hexavalent Cr was <100µg/L. Primary sludge contained high total Cr (8,672 to 17,525 mg/kgDM) and hexavalent Cr (0.07 to 0.67 mg/kgDM). Final effluents from the novel and conventional treatments met the Indian discharge standards for total Cr (2 mg/L) and hexavalent Cr (0.1 mg/L). Risk assessment identified three high-risk activities for STP workers, all related to skin contact during primary sludge handling. Farmers irrigated with mixed STP and common effluent treatment plant (CETP) effluent ;the Cr in the CETP effluent was 16 times higher than the STP effluent. The novel technologies did not lower the risks, as they did not address sludge management or CETP effluent quality. Targeted controls for sludge management and coordinated action on CETP discharges are therefore critical.
Keywords
Health risks assessment, Reuse, Sanitation safety planning, Sewage sludge, Wastewater
Subject (DDC)
Event
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Date of the last check
ISBN
ISSN
1080-7039
1549-7860
1549-7860
Language
English
Created during FHNW affiliation
Yes
Strategic action fields FHNW
Publication status
Published
Review
Peer review of the complete publication
Open access category
Hybrid
License
Citation
Villarreal, K. M. C., Furlong, C., Breitenmoser, L., & Hooijmans, C. M. (2025). Occupational health risks and fate of chromium in sewage treatment co-treating tannery effluent. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment, 31(9-10), 1451–1470. https://doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2025.2568888