Continuous flow treatment of water contaminated with Cr (VI) with E. crassipes and bacterial cellulose

Abstract

Industrial wastewater treatment is essential to mitigate the impacts these waters cause in wetlands, rivers, and lagoons. Inadequate treatment has been shown to generate significant and irreversible impacts; therefore, a "continuous flow treatment of Cr(VI)-contaminated water with E. crassipes and bacterial cellulose" has been investigated and implemented. These adsorbent biomasses are frequently discarded and misused, as demonstrated by the case of Eichhornia crassipes. This aquatic plant is abundant in wetlands contaminated with organic matter, and bacterial cellulose is industrially produced and possesses ideal heavy metal adsorption capacities. The use of mass balance mathematical models has facilitated the design of treatment systems for Cr(VI)-contaminated water that incorporate these biomasses. A water treatment system was developed that achieved a Cr(VI) removal rate greater than 99%. Furthermore, these biomasses have the ability to be filtered and therefore reused, thus increasing their functionality. Because of this, this treatment system has become a reality for the proper treatment of industrial wastewater, thanks to its high efficiency in removing metals. It is also ideal for its cost-effectiveness (costing no more than 20 euros).

Keywords: E crassipes: Cellulose bacterial; Flow Continue; Chromium.