Fly ash with high sulphate and chloride content: solidification and stabilisation using hydraulic lime

This paper examines the solidification/stabilisation treatment of two fly ash samples from a Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) incineration plant using a lime-pozzolan binder. The two examined fly ash samples were characterised by a high chloride and sulphate content and by a significant concentration of heavy metals. The effective development of hydrate phases during hydration of hydraulic lime-fly ash mixtures allows us to stabilise numerous pollutants in hardened pastes. The release of pollutants into the leachants is limited and decreases with the curing period of the pastes.     

Utilization of electric arc furnace dust as an admixture to Portland cement pastes

Electric arc furnace dust (EAFD) is termed as a hazardous waste due to its contamination with heavy metals. Inertization of such very fine dust can be occurred via stabilization and solidification process within the hydrated Portland cement matrix. In this paper, the effect of the addition of various ratios of EAFD on the properties of the hardened Portland cement paste was investigated. Compressive strength, chemically combine water and free lime contents were determined. In addition, phase composition using XRD; DTA analysis; as well as microstructure of the formed hydrates for some selected samples were investigated using SEM. The obtained results showed that the paste containing 1/mass% EAFD give the highest compressive strength values at most hydration ages, specially the later ages, compared to the neat Portland cement blank paste. Whileas, the pastes containing 3 and 5/mass% EAFD showed lower values of compressive strength compared to those of the blank paste.     

Leaching Studies of Inorganic and Organic Compounds from Fly Ash

Fly ash is produced in massive quantities by fossil fuel based power plants and waste incinerators, and contains high levels of potentially toxic chemicals. Various leaching tests exist to determine the available fractions, but the outcome is strongly dependent on the experimental conditions, and these have not yet been harmonised at the international level. In order to test existing protocols for heavy metals, several intercomparisons were organised within the framework of an EU-INCO project "ANALEACH", in which seven institutes from five countries participated. Two existing reference materials were made available for the project and test batches of two new fly ash reference materials were produced. Availability tests, leaching tests and pH-stat tests were studied and critical steps in the procedures were identified. Fly ashes can also contain large amounts of inorganic sulphur and nitrogen compounds, and the determination and leaching behaviour of these compounds were also studied. In one intercomparison for metals, inorganic S and N-compounds were also included. A five-step leaching test was optimised for fly ash in order to link metal fractions to different types of binding. Column leaching experiments were carried out to investigate leaching from fly ash into soil, mimicking the effects of (acid) rain on fly ash deposited on topsoil after atmospheric transport. The major fraction of the leached metal ions was retained by the soil. Also large numbers of organic compounds (including many toxic ones) were identified in fly ash extracts, especially in city waste incinerator ash. Leaching procedures based on ultrasonic extraction were developed for organic compounds and an intercomparison exercise was organised. In a field study at the river Nitra(Slovakia) numerous organic pollutants were found at elevated levels downstream from a major fly ash dump site.     

Tannery waste solidification and stabilization

The stabilization/solidification of tannery waste containing chromium was studied as an option for its treatment and final disposal, by using a Portland cement type II and two different commercial bentonites (sodium and organophilic) as additives. Different compositions were evaluated by compressive strength analysis, porosity measurement, leaching tests and thermal analysis. The effect on the compressive strength is directly related to the resulting effect of the components present in the original paste on the hydration degree of the cement, which can be evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis from the dehydration steps of tobermorite and ettringite phases of the pastes. The results show that this process is suitable for the treatment of the tanning waste and that the best conditions of stabilization are obtained when both additives are used. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Hydrothermal solidification of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash

Hydrothermal solidification of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash has been conducted under saturated steam pressure at 200 °C for up to 48 h with quartz addition. To enhance the strength of solidified specimens further, the raw fly ash was pre-treated by water-washing and mixed with NaOH solution (2 M) as reaction solvent. Experimental results showed that curing time and temperature had significant effects on strength development. Strength development was found to be mainly due to tobermorite formation, and addition of quartz and NaOH solution promoted tobermorite formation. The raw fly ash could also be used as an additive to solidify MSWI bottom ash, and with raw fly ash addition (10%) the flexural strength of solidified specimens reached more than 21 MPa, suggesting high potential to recycle 100% MSWI ash (e.g. as 10% fly ash + 90% bottom ash). Leaching tests were conducted to determine amounts of heavy metals dissolved from solidified specimens. The results showed that under the hydrothermal conditions of this study, leaching of heavy metals was very low. As such, the hydrothermal processing method might have high potential for recycling/reusing MSWI fly ash on a large scale.     

Characterization of FDR fly ash and brick/lime mixtures

The present research is concerning the characterization of FDR (fuel derived from residues) fly ash and mixtures with lime/brick hydraulic binder by DTA/TG/DTG thermo-analysis, X-ray diffractometry and chemical analysis. The use of hydraulic binder obtained from building brick rejects, which is less expensive than the usual solidifiers such as cementitious binder and silicates, allows us to reutilize, in the meantime, this wreckage material, to the advantage of environmental sustainability. Fly ash samples investigated in the present study were separated in a thermo-incineration plant. Mineralogical DTA/TG/DTG and XRD investigations reveal the presence of different phases as well as chemical analysis shows a moderate concentration of heavy metals and high content of chloride and sulphate. Results obtained from leaching tests with water carried out on hardened pastes containing fly ash lead to interesting results, which highlight behaviour to the release of contaminants. The whole of the results obtained in the present study make it possible to regard the objective of disposing such hardened materials in inert waste landfill sites as achievable.     

Study of the composition and gas-phase release characteristics of salt material extracted from MSW ash particles using STA

The ash material generated from the MSW incineration contains large amounts of alkali metals, heavy metals, chlorine and sulfur mainly deposited as inorganic salts and/or oxides on the surface of the Si-rich ash particles. In this work, the composition and gas-phase release characteristics of salt material extracted from MSW ash particles using a six-stage leaching process is studied using simultaneous thermal analysis (STA). The produced results provide useful information regarding the composition of the salt material and its melting behavior that is considered to play an important role to deposition and corrosion problems at MSW incinerators. The results may be used to model the deposition process and to the better understanding of the corrosion process during MSW incineration.     

燃煤电厂异相凝并飞灰重金属淋滤特性

采集了燃煤电厂的异相凝并后飞灰，分析了其物理化学特性。并通过淋滤实验研究了飞灰中重金属As、Se、Pb的环境稳定性。结果表明，凝并飞灰的粒径峰值为138.04 μm，而粉煤灰为60.26 μm；凝并后细颗粒凝聚成了较大的颗粒；凝并飞灰中重金属As、Se、Pb含量均高于同工况下粉煤灰中的含量，且后序脱硫环节所产生石膏中重金属的含量有所下降；批淋滤实验研究结果表明，凝并飞灰中的重金属浸出能力受淋滤液的pH值影响较大，温和环境和碱性条件抑制了As的浸出，酸性和碱性条件抑制了Se的浸出，而碱性条件抑制了Pb的浸出。柱淋滤实验研究结果表明，在酸性溶液和水溶液中，凝并飞灰的重金属浸出能力均受到了抑制。     

Evaluation of a mixed chelator as heavy metal stabilizer for municipal solid‐waste incineration fly ash: Behaviors and mechanisms

This paper compares the stabilization performances of three dithiocarbamate and three phosphate chemical stabilizing agents, selects the best agents from each group, combines them as a mixed heavy metal stabilizer for municipal solid‐waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash, and investigates the effectiveness of the mixed chelator in stabilizing heavy metals in MSWI fly ash from southwest China. The mechanism of stabilization is also analyzed. Results indicate that piperazine dithiocarbamate can stabilize Cd, Cu, and Ni effectively, while sodium dihydrogen phosphate can stabilize Pb better. With the addition of the mixed chelator (2% sodium dihydrogen phosphate and 1% piperazine dithiocarbamate), all the targeted heavy metal concentrations in the leachate were below the standards for pollution control on municipal solid waste landfill sites in China. The stabilizing agents combined with the heavy metals in fly ash could not generate insoluble crystals; however, the heavy metals could combine with the agents' effective groups, generating flocs in the pores or on the surfaces of the fly ash and offering significant densification. The mixed chelator could transfer heavy metals from unstable fractions to stable fractions, so the leaching of heavy metals from the fly ash was greatly decreased.     

Screening and Quantification of Organic Pollutants in Soil Using Comprehensive Two-dimensional Gas Chromatography with Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry

The identification and quantification of organic compounds in leaching basin soil is important for the evaluation of soil pollution. In this study, a non-target screening strategy and a quantitative analytical method were developed based on the accelerated solvent extraction method followed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. First, a screening method for potential risk compounds in soil samples was established, and the major compounds were screened under the conditions such as matching similarity, signal-to-noise ratio, and relative area ratio. Second, a quantitative method was further developed by internal calibration curves for 50 main organic pollutants in the soil samples, including 27 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their derivatives (PAHs), 10 phthalic acid esters, eight phenolic compounds, and five benzene derivatives. The quantitative procedure exhibited good selectivity, accuracy, precision, low limits of detection (0.03–1.02?ng/g), and quantification (0.1–3.0?ng/g) for all target compounds. Finally, the proposed strategy was applied to the soil samples that were collected from a leaching basin and polluted by electroplating wastewater. Abundant PAHs and phenolic compounds were detected in the topsoil sample, which were mainly released from the electroplating wastewater. The application of this multi-dimensional strategy in leaching basin soil samples can also be used for the assessment of organic pollution in other complex soil samples.     

Pollutants leaching behaviour from solidified wastes: a selection of adapted various models

Leaching tests are essential in the environmental assessment of stabilized wastes. Research programmes were conducted on their interpretation in order to develop tools for the evaluation of long term release of pollutants contained in solidified wastes. Models for the leaching of porous materials are discussed in this paper according to the specificity of the chemical species (i.e. transport model with total dissolution of species-diffusional model; transport model with progressive dissolution of species due to limitation of solubility-shrinking core model; and the model coupling transport and chemical phenomena). The leaching behaviour of pollutants (i.e. lead) solidified in a cement matrix was studied under different chemical conditions. Results have shown that the release of species whose solubilities depend on the physico-chemical conditions, and especially the pH (e.g. amphoteric metals), is governed by the solubility of the species in the pore water at local conditions and by the pH evolution within the matrix. A coupled dissolution/diffusion model was developed to describe the release of chemically complex species contained in a porous medium in contact with water. Leaching tests of cement matrices and artificial porous matrices containing calcium hydroxide and pollutants were conducted in order to validate the coupled dissolution/diffusion model. A good assessment of the retention of some pollutants contained in cement matrices could then be obtained by the association of two tests: solubilization of the pollutants related to the chemical context (pH) under steady state conditions and monolithic long term dynamic leaching tests in order to characterize the evolution of the chemical context (pH) and consequently the release of pollutants. The objective is to integrate this approach in the standardization process (CEN TC 292- WG 6, in progress).     

Physico-chemical studies of gamma-irradiated polyester-impregnated cement mortar composite

The effect of impregnation time on the physico-chemical and mechanical properties of polyester-cement mortar composite has been investigated. The samples were soaked in unsaturated polyester resin containing 40% styrene monomer at impregnation times ranging from 1–15 hours and then exposed to 50 kGy of γ-irradiation. The effects on polymer loading, compressive strength, apparent porosity, and water absorption in addition to IR spectra and TGA of the samples were studied. It was found that, the polymer loading and compressive strength increase with the increased of soaking time up to 4 hours and there is no significant improvement of the polymer loading and compressive strength increase with the increased of soaking time up to 4 hours and there is no significant improvement of the polymer loading and strength. Whereas, the apparent porosity and water absorption behave in an opposite direction. These are attributed to the presence of polymer in the pores of the samples. IR spectra showed that, new bands appeared as result of the reaction between polyester and set cement. TGA showed that, the polyester cement composite has higher thermal stability as a compared to irradiated polyester.     

固体添加剂对垃圾掺烧污泥焚烧飞灰高温过程中重金属挥发特性的影响

在研究垃圾与污泥掺烧后焚烧飞灰中重金属浸出特征的基础上,重点研究了飞灰在1 000 ℃条件下高温处置过程中重金属(Cu、Zn 、Pb、Cd)随不同停留时间的挥发特性及添加剂(CaO、Al₂O₃、SiO₂、高岭土、粉煤灰)对重金属转化与挥发特性的影响。研究结果表明,飞灰中重金属Zn、Pb、Mn含量较高,Ni的含量较低,而毒性较大的Cd达到29.4 mg/kg。浸出液中七种金属都满足危险废物鉴别标准(GB5085.3-1996),并且重金属的浸出浓度受浸取时间及浸取液pH值影响较大。在同样的高温处置条件下,焚烧飞灰中不同重金属的挥发特性有较大的差别。其中,Pb表现出易挥发的特性,其挥发率超过80%,而Cu挥发性较小,其挥发率小于30%。综合来看,飞灰中重金属的挥发性大小依次为Pb>Cd>Zn>Cu。飞灰中添加Al₂O₃和高岭土可以抑制Cd的挥发,添加Al₂O₃后Pb的挥发率有所减少,添加SiO₂、CaO、高岭土、粉煤灰均使Zn的挥发率降低,而对Cu的挥发率没有抑制作用,这与飞灰中高Cl含量及各痕量元素化合物对固体添加剂活性位选择性的竞争吸附有关。     

Recovery and stabilization of heavy metal sludge (Cu and Ni) from etching and electroplating plants by electrolysis and sintering

This work dealt with the recovery and stabilization of the sludge with heavy metals (Cu and Ni) produced from etching and electroplating plants. The heavy metals in the sludge were deprived of by acid leaching, followed by precipitation with 28% NH₄OH, and finally by electrolysis. In the electrolysis, the recovery percentage and purity were investigated at different electronic currency and temperature. The metal-deprived sludge was stabilized by mixing with glass powder and clay, followed by sintering at high temperature. How the ratio of glass powder to metal-deprived sludge affected final products (sludge bricks) was explored, in terms of specific gravity, absorption capacity, unconfined compressive strength, morphology, the volume shrinkage ratio and burn-up ratio. The volume shrinkage ratio and burn-up ratio of sludge bricks increased with metal-deprived sludge contents. The heavy metal remaining in sludge bricks was assessed through TCLP (toxicity characteristic leaching procedure) and by the analysis of SEM and EDX. The results from TCLP showed that the contents of leached metals were all below the regulatory criteria. This fact approved the feasibility of our method.     

Compositional changes in cement-stabilized waste during leach tests--comparison of SEM/EDX data with predictions from geochemical speciation modeling

Cement-based stabilization/solidification (s/s) is a widely used treatment process for hazardous wastes containing toxic metals. The treated waste consists of a complex mixture of several solid phases produced by cement hydration reactions. Understanding and predicting the effects of leaching on these individual phases is essential for assessing the long-term immobilization of metal contaminants in s/s waste exposed to rain and groundwater. In this paper, particles of crushed Portland cement doped with copper, lead, and zinc nitrates were leached with nitric acid solutions maintained at constant pH in the range pH 4-7. Changes in solid composition at the microscopic scale were measured by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDX). The geochemical equilibrium model SOLTEQ-B, which accounts for the incongruent solubility behavior of calcium silicate hydrate, was used to simulate the compositional changes in the hydration gel for increasing extents of leaching. Measured concentrations of calcium, silicon, and sulfur were successfully predicted at all extents of leaching. Aluminum, lead, and zinc concentrations were also in good agreement with model predictions, except in the remineralization zones that form when metals solubilized in the outer regions of the s/s waste particles diffuse toward the interior and reprecipitate at higher pH. Copper was less accurately modeled at high extents of leaching. Accounting for the incorporation of contaminant metals into the cement hydration gel (in opposition to assuming the presence of individual metal hydroxides) is crucial for successfully predicting contaminant metal concentrations in the hydration gel at low and intermediate extents of leaching.     

Rapid analysis of PAHs in fly ash using thermal desorption and fast GC-TOF-MS

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are semivolatile organic compounds that may form as a result of incomplete combustion of organic materials. After they are produced in combustion systems, this class of chemicals can be emitted with flue gas or adsorbed in combustion residues such as fly ash and bed ash. The purpose of this study is to develop a thermal extraction (TE) method for the determination of the 16 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency specified priority PAH pollutants in fly ash. The commonly used method for determining PAHs in solid wastes is solvent extraction followed by gas chromatography (GC) or GC-mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. This method is work- and time-intensive and produces solvent waste. In this study, the samples are analyzed using TE and fast GC-time-of-flight (TOF)-MS. The complete process from extraction to analysis can be achieved in less than one hour. The results indicate that the TE-GC-TOF-MS method has good linear range from 1.5 to 60 micro g/g for all 16 PAHs. The recoveries for the 16 target PAHs vary between 83% and 94%.     

Coal bioprocessing research at the institute of gas technology

Coal bioprocessing research at the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) has included solubilization, gasification, desulfurization, denitrogenation, production of specialty chemicals, and the remediation of organic and inorganic wastes associated with coal utilization. Currently, research is focused on desulfurization and remediation. Desulfurization research concerns the development of processes to remove organic sulfur or to convert a portion of pyritic sulfur to sulfuric acid rapidly, thereby serving as a pretreatment to aid the thermochemical conversion of coal to coke and liquid products. The removal of as much as 91% organic sulfur from coal has been achieved, and biodesulfurization of coal has been confirmed by seven analytical techniques performed in six different laboratories. Recent studies have involved the use of molecular genetics to develop strains of bacteria with higher levels of desulfurization activity, and the development of methods for the preparation, storage, and utilization of biodesulfurization catalysts. Remediation studies include the development ofin situ and on-site technologies to treat soil contaminated with coal tar, the leaching of metals from fly ash, and the treatment of waste water resulting from fly ash leaching or from acidic mine drainage (AMD). IGT currently has two projects in EPA’s SITE program concerned with the remediation of coal tar-contaminated soil, and other related technologies are being developed. Efficient laboratory-scale processes for the removal of metals from fly ash and from soil so that the solids pass EPA’s TCLP test, and the subsequent treatment of the leachates or AMD to meet all regulatory requirements have been developed. Data obtained in these projects are presented in particular, and a general discussion of the application of biotechnology to coal is offered.     

城市污水污泥与固体垃圾混烧过程中重金属迁移特性的研究

通过城市污水污泥与固体垃圾合成样品在小型管式焚烧炉内的混烧实验,采集灰渣样品进行XRF化学成分分析和浸出毒性鉴别测试,结合污水污泥焚烧过程中热力学平衡计算,定量表征了污水污泥中Cu、Pb、Zn、 Mn、Ni在焚烧过程中向底灰、飞灰和烟气迁移的特性及对灰渣的毒性影响。研究结果表明,污水污泥混烧显著提高了飞灰和底灰中重金属含量,其中Zn和Pb增加量最大,而Ni、Mn、Cu依次减少;随着有机氯的加入,飞灰中重金属含量呈现递增趋势,其中Zn表现最明显。毒性测试结果显示,污水污泥的混烧也导致了垃圾焚烧飞灰中Zn和Pb的浸出浓度超过中国对危险废物浸出的控制标准值。同时,重金属迁移的热力学平衡模型预测结果与实验结果差距较大。这表明热力学平衡计算方法还需进一步考虑影响重金属氯化物形成的其他因素,如在焚烧过程中反应动力学、焚烧室内氧气含量变化、与其他元素间的化学反应等。     

Effect of fluorine on stabilization/solidification of radioactive fluoride liquid waste in magnesium potassium phosphate cement

This paper investigated the effect of fluorine mass fraction on magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC) stabilization/solidification (S/S). The solidified object was a simulated fluid containing Co²⁺, Sr²⁺, Cs⁺ and F⁻. The results showed when the fluorine mass fraction increased, the setting time of the MKPC slurry extended. Under the same conditions, the 28-day compressive strength of the MKPC solidified forms reduced, and the freeze–thaw resistance enhanced. When the fluorine mass fraction was more than 6 wt%, a new product (MgF₂) appeared and caused the structure to become evacuated. Meanwhile, leaching concentration of the researched ions increased, especially Cs²⁺ and F⁻. When the fluorine mass fraction of the MKPC solidified forms was 12 wt%, a very small amount of wagnerite was observed.

     

利用旋风炉玻璃化处理垃圾焚烧飞灰实验研究

在自行设计的旋风炉实验台上对焚烧飞灰进行玻璃化熔融实验,系统研究了焚烧飞灰熔融前后微观形貌、灰渣中重金属特性和浸出特性。实验结果表明,焚烧飞灰旋风熔融后成黑色的脆硬玻璃态熔渣,表层呈浅黄色。在熔渣中N i、Cr的固溶率最高,均超过95%以上;低熔点重金属多数挥发至熔融烟气和熔融烟道飞灰颗粒中,Cd的固溶率仅有21%,Pb和Zn部分固溶于玻璃态熔渣中,两者固溶率可达42%以上。Cu和As的固溶率分别为37%和18%。熔融后的玻璃态熔渣重金属浸出率明显低于熔融前的焚烧飞灰,且均低于美国EPA的标准限值。