title: Speciation of Cr(VI) in environmental samples in the vicinity of the ferrochrome smelter.
abstract: The impact of ferrochrome smelter on the contamination of its environment with toxic hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), was assessed by analyzing smelter dusts, soil, grass and tree barks. For the separation of Cr(VI) from Cr(III), solid samples were treated with 0.1M Na(2)CO(3) and filtered through hydrophilic PDVF 0.45 microm filter prior to the determination of Cr(VI) by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ET-AAS). Ferrochrome smelter dust was found to contain significant levels of Cr(VI), viz. 43.5 microg g(-1) (cyclone dust), 2710 microg g(-1) (fine dust), and 7800 microg g(-1) (slimes dust) which exceeded the maximum acceptable risk concentration (20 microg g(-1)). The concentration of Cr(VI) in environmental samples of grass (3.4+/-0.2), soil (7.7+/-0.2), and tree bark (11.8+/-1.2) collected in the vicinity of the chrome smelter were higher as compared with the same kind of samples collected from uncontaminated area. The results of the investigation show that ferrochrome smelter is a source of environmental pollution with contamination factors of Cr(VI) ranging between 10 and 50.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Arcadia, 0007 Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: Hilda N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Sedumedi
authors.forename: Khakhathi L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Mandiwana
authors.forename: Prince
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ngobeni
authors.forename: Nikolay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Panichev
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D002857:Chromium / Q000032:analysis*; D002858:Chromium Alloys; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D008669:Metallurgy
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D002858:Chromium Alloys; D007220:Industrial Waste; D002857:Chromium; C027393:ferrochromium; C074702:chromium hexavalent ion