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Occupational Risk in the Tanning Industry

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Ecotoxicological Diagnosis in the Tanning Industry

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Abstract

In this chapter, the aim was to discuss and determine the inherent occupational risks and hazards (closely ascertaining the kinetic and dynamic principles of toxicity) related to the tanning industry. The study demonstrated that biosensors can be used to assess toxicity of dust in both solid and liquid phase, and to compare and complement the biosensor assay with analytical methods to identify the likely toxic agent(s) in the tannery dust. Solid phase study of the tannery dust using bacterial biosensors required close contact between the bacterial cells and the particulate matter (achieved through centrifugation), while retaining the ability to ‘recover’ the bacterial cells to measure the luminescence-based toxicity response. However, when using luminescent bacteria for solid phase toxicity testing certain problems can be encountered where light output (luminescence) is affected by coloured supernatant and differing numbers of cells in the sample; loss of bacteria due to adhesion to suspended sediment/dust particles and optical interference of suspended sediment particles.

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  1. Leather Development Council, 14480-00800, Nairobi, Kenya

    Mwinyikione Mwinyihija PhD, FCIWEM, HSC, CSci., CBiol., CEnv.

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  1. Mwinyikione Mwinyihija PhD, FCIWEM, HSC, CSci., CBiol., CEnv.
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Correspondence to Mwinyikione Mwinyihija PhD, FCIWEM, HSC, CSci., CBiol., CEnv. .

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Mwinyihija, M. (2010). Occupational Risk in the Tanning Industry. In: Ecotoxicological Diagnosis in the Tanning Industry. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6266-9_4

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