Recovery of Chromium(III) from Tannery Wastewater by Nanoparticles and Whiskers of Chitosan

Chitosan, its nanoparticles and whiskers present an excellent capacity to complex chromium ions. However, this phenomenon is influenced by different parameters. In our search, we determined the appropriate range of pH to form chitosan–Cr(III), nanoparticles Cr(III) and whiskers–Cr(III) complex. We studied also the influence of chromium concentration and nature of chitosan-based materials on complexation process. Our main aim is approximate the optimal conditions to remove chromium(III) from tanning bath, recuperated from tannery wastewater of Marrakech in Morocco. However, the results of adsorption kinetic in tannery wastewater revealed that chitosan, its nanoparticles, whiskers and biocomposites are good sorbent of chromium as well, even if the adsorbed quantity is less compared to chromium solution. Although, according to ICP-OES analysis in this real effluent, nanoparticles are the best complexing ligand, after 24 h of contact nanoparticles can remove 70% of chromium from this tannery wastewater.