Color removal from real leather dyeing effluent using tannery waste as an adsorbent

In this study the adsorption of the dye Acid Red 357 (AR357) present in dyeing effluent, through the use of chromium tanned leather waste (CTLW) as an adsorbent is investigated. The results demonstrate an adsorption capacity of 148.2 mg g−1, and the removal of approximately 58% of the dye present in solution. In addition the data for adsorption in dyeing effluent, when compared to the data for aqueous solution, demonstrate that competition for adsorption sites by other chemical compounds present in the effluent takes place. The dyeing effluent presents elevated toxicity to microcrustacea, fish and luminescent bacteria, however, after treatment by adsorption, the toxicity is reduced by up to 90% compared to the untreated effluent.