Heavy Metal Pollution Near a Tannery in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Background: Due to an increase in population density and industrialization, the capital city of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, has been experiencing an increase in environmental pollution; especially soil contamination. Environmental pollutants include solid waste, silt and wastewater coming out of tanneries in three micro districts of the Khan-Uul district of Ulaanbaatar. Among the many types of chemicals these tanneries use, chromium (III) sulfate (Cr(SO)) poses the most serious environmental health risk.