Study on Some Pollutants in the Leather Industry: A Case Study in Albania

Abstract

In Albania, major environmental problems are linked with the wastewaters and solid wastes disposal in tanneries. River systems are the primary means for disposal of waste, especially the tannery effluents. The current study was carried out to asses some physical, chemical and microbiological parameters in tannery wastewaters, and consequently their risk into Osumi River water body. Determination of such parameters indicates in a way the pollution status of Osumi River by leather effluents and other anthropogenic activities that are discharged into river water. Furthermore the objective of this study was extended in determination on some parameters of air emissions in workplace within tanneries, such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, CO₂, ethyl alcohol. Each effluent sample was analyzed for physical, chemical, and bacteriological parameters. All water quality parameters were estimated by standard methods. The range values mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, and threshold were calculated for each parameter. The results of this study showed that physic-chemical and microbiological parameters of tannery wastewater, such as pH, COD, ammonia ions, nitrate, phosphate, chloride, sulfate, TSS, TDS, H₂S, chromium (VI), Escherichia Coli, and Streptococcus Faecalis exceeded the prescribed limits. Gaseous emissions posed no serious environmental impact and health hazards for the workers. However, problems were found to remain in the tannery wastewater. Therefore, the author recommends that be reduced to a permissible limit before they discharged into river water.