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Effects of Textile Dyes in Wastewater

The textile industry requires large volumes of water during the printing and dyeing processes and therefore produces great quantities of waste water that is often discarded into fresh water sources in developing nations, such as India. These effluents, or waste products, contain dyes such as indigo and azoic as well as large quantities of heavy metals, bleaching agents and acids, which are extremely toxic to all living creatures.

  1. Effects on Freshwater Fish

    • A study appearing in the October 2006 issue of the "Journal of Environmental Biology" investigated the effects of textile dye waste water on the health of the freshwater fish, Gambusia affinis, more commonly known as the mosquitofish. The researchers measured the toxic effects of untreated waste water on the shape and size of the fishes' red blood cells, or RBCs, and compared them to the same parameters in fish that inhabited areas with treated waste water. The study found that there were significant differences in both the shape and size of RBCs caused by the untreated effluent and recommended that these parameters be included in future monitoring of toxic effects on all fish species.

    Effects on Reproduction

    • Untreated textile dye waste water is detrimental to the reproductive capabilities of most animals that come into contact with it. An article published in the March 2005 issue of "Reproductive Toxicology" investigated the effects of untreated waste water on the body weight and the weight of reproductive organs of rats. The researchers orally administered both treated and untreated waste water to two groups of animals. They found that the group ingesting the untreated waste water had significantly reduced body weights and their reproductive organs were up to 44 percent smaller. Additionally, they found very unhealthy reductions in total protein concentrations of up to 70 percent and cholesterol was depleted by up to 91 percent.

    Pollution from Textile Facilities

    • A January 2007 report in the "Australian Journal of Ecotoxicology" stated that a city in rural India, called Sanager Town, housed approximately 400 small scale textile facilities. The authors calculated that more than 2.6 million gallons of textile waste water per day were being discharged into pools and drains that feed reservoirs for the irrigation of crops. The study noted that the cycle of discharged effluents from these facilities are detectable in the food chain and are a major source of environmental pollution throughout India.

    Contaminiants from Textile Processing

    • The toxicity of untreated textile waste water is primarily due to the leaching of chemicals used in the dyes or in the processes involved in staining. A study appearing in the August 2007 issue of "Chemosphere" identified several compounds believed to be among the most toxic to wildlife and plant life. The authors found large quantities of dangerous chemicals, including hydrochloric and sulfuric acids, very strong alkali solutions such as sodium dioxide and silicon dioxide as well as the heavy metal copper. The study concluded that the chemicals used in the processing of textiles are much more toxic than those chemicals found in dyes.

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