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Chromium Migration Through Sludge‐Treated Soils
Author(s) -
Dreiss Shirley J.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
groundwater
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1745-6584
pISSN - 0017-467X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-6584.1986.tb01007.x
Subject(s) - chromium , dispose pattern , environmental chemistry , soil water , environmental science , chemistry , environmental engineering , soil science , waste management , organic chemistry , engineering
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Tanner's Council of America jointly initiated a five‐year project in September 1980 to investigate the feasibility of using land treatment to dispose of chromium tanning sludges. These sludges contain high concentrations of Cr, in the range of 21,000 to 55,000 ppm on a dry weight basis. Chromium could migrate in soil waters at a land treatment site as either a soluble Cr (VI) species, HCrO4 or CrO42, or as Cr (III) or Cr (VI) in soluble complexes with organic or inorganic substances. Field measurements of Cr fluxes at an experimental test site near Santa Cruz, California indicate that Cr in tannery sludges exhibits a very low mobility. Less than 0.1% of the total Cr applied to a test plot was transported through the upper soil zone during a three‐month period. However, the sludge applications introduced high concentrations of nitrates and major cations. Estimates of contaminant fluxes based on measured concentrations in soil water collected with porous cup samplers contain large uncertainties. In addition to potential errors in moisture flux computations, chemical reactions in the cups can significantly alter the composition of soil‐water samples.