USE OF COMMERCIAL STEEL WOOL PADS FOR THE TREATMENT OF WASTEWATER CONTAINING HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM FROM ELECTROCOLORATION PROCESSES OF STAINLESS STEELS

Residual solutions containing Cr(VI) ions can be harmful to the environment as well as to human health. Hence, practical and efficient methods for the treatment of such solutions are welcome. In this note, the treatment with commercial steel wool pads of a Cr(VI) residual solution from electrochemical coloration processes of stainless steel is described in detail. Successful treatment was achieved when an amount of steel wool equivalent to 20% in excess in relation to the theoretical stoichiometric amount was used, followed by chemical precipitation with sodium hydroxide up to pH 10-11 and separation by filtration under reduced pressure. The treatment yielded a final solution with concentrations of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) ions of only 0.29 ± 0.02 mg L-1 and < 0.01 mg L-1, respectively. These concentration values are significantly lower than the maximum limits established by CONAMA for industrial wastewaters, attesting the efficiency of the treatment.