Identification and remediation strategies for chromium to mitigate food chain contamination

Abstract

Chromium (Cr) metal is crucial for industrial development specially steel, wooden and tannery; contributing significant 
revue in Indian economy. These industries are generating huge volume of waste, creating Cr pollution reduced the soil 
health parameters over a untreated water irrigation. Chromium is a heavy metal that can contaminate soil, water, and 
ultimately affect the food chain. It exists in two main forms: hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI), which is more toxic and 
mobile, and trivalent chromium (Cr-III), which is less toxic. However, it is more challenging, when the different 
industrial effluents merged at a common point and cause multi-metal toxicity. Mustard and spinach crops have been 
studied for their potential to accumulate and remediate chromium from contaminated environments. In this backdrop, 
different experiments were conducted to identify the Cr toxic level, immobilization of Cr with different metals, 
phytoremmedation and measurement of indices for quantify the Cr toxicity potential. These studies involved the graded -1
 application of Cr (0, 50 and 100 mg kg soil), cations (sodium, calcium) and anions (sulphate and chlorides) spiked in 
Indian vertisol. Mustard (Brassica juncea) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) were used as test crops in these experiments. 
Different indices (BCF, TE, TF and Cr removal) were computed to identify the metal toxicity level and formulated the 
phytoremediation strategies. These studies are very much important for formulating Cr remediation strategies for 
tannery irrigated areas.