Page 26 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

Environmental and Health Effects Due to the Usage of Wastewater 7

human beings, but on the other hand, the consumption of these heavy metal ions in a
high concentration causes serious health effects to human beings. As per the Bureau
of Indian Standards, the ultimate permissible limit of copper ions in drinking water
−1
is 0.05 mg L (Kiruba et al., 2014; Kumar et al., 2015; Prabu et al., 2016).
1.3.1.9 Cobalt
Cobalt is a characteristic component present in the outer layer of the earth. Cobalt is
said to possess a rocky, sparkly, steely, dim, unscented appearance and has distinc-
tive forms. The concentration of cobalt is increased in the environment through both
natural and anthropogenic activities. Soil particles, water bodies, and dust in the air
are the indigenous sources of cobalt in our ecosystem, and a specific amount of cobalt
is present in these natural sources (Rengaraj and Moon, 2002). The anthropogenic
activities that cause a significant appearance of cobalt in water bodies are effluent
discharges from the production units of industries such as processing of minerals,
purification of metals, electroplating, and paints and pigments. Cobalt is a compo-
nent of vitamin B12 and a necessary component for human wellbeing. Cobalt from
industrial sources enters the food web and is bioaccumulated in all living organisms
in our ecosystem (Abbas et al., 2014).

1.3.1.10 Antimony
Antimony is a growing threat universally due to its highly toxic nature. According
to the reports of USEPA and EPA, Antimony is perceived as a major noxious heavy
metals. Antimony is generally used for an assortment of purposes, including com-
bustion of fossil fuels, incineration, batteries, fire retardants, polyethylene glycol
terephthalate, brake linings, coal mines, and extraction of metals from their ores.
Antimony is eliminated as a scum during the extraction of metals such as gold, sil-
ver, and copper from their diverse mineral feedstocks. Through the gas passages and
effluent discharge of the extraction zone, this antimony reaches the atmosphere and
pollutes the habitat (Multani et al., 2017; Hu et al., 2017).

1.3.2 Dyes
The world’s first financially effective engineered color, Mauvein, was discovered by
Henry Perkin in 1856. Since that point, nearly 10,000 various colors and shades have
been produced and used as part of different enterprises. On average, nearly 7 × 10
5
tons of dyes are produced every year globally for diverse applications in the indus-
trial sector. During the synthesis and manufacture of the products, these dyes are
released into the environment through the effluent discharge of the industries. Dyes
are produced as an integral part of many anthropogenic and industrial activities,
such as textile industry, paper manufacturing, food industry, tanning, in rural explore
and in light gathering exhibits. The mixing of the dye-contaminated wastewater into
the nearby water bodies results in nutrient excess, leading to the death of aquatic
life, and it also causes hazardous repercussions through chemical reactions such as
oxidation, hydrolysis, or other compound responses occurring in the wastewater. The
chemical classes of dyes most often used in industry are azo, anthraquinone, sulfur,
indigoid, triphenylmethyl (trityl), and phthalocyanine compounds (Zangeneh et al.,