Assessment of Fossil Fuel Fly Ash Formulations in the Immobilization of Hazardous Wastes
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 130, Issue 5
Abstract
In this work, a simple and inexpensive method is introduced for the immobilization of the hazardous elements Cd, Pb, and Fe from their aqueous solutions in compressed fossil fuel fly ash formulations, as candidates for waste forms. The molded formulations were prepared by initially mixing the hazardous waste solutions with the fossil fuel fly ash material at a constant ratio (17%). Then the resulting pastes were pressed at the appropriate pressure using a manual hydraulic press. The compressed formulations revealed good water resistance, compression strength, and radiation resistance. Leachability investigations of the molded matrices were performed in terms of the accelerated leach test, the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), and long-term leach tests. The TCLP results obtained for Cd and Pb were well below their TCLP limits. On the other hand, the accelerated and long-term leach tests showed a similar behavior. The properties of the compressed formulations revealed their high performance as an alternative for waste forms as indicated by their durability, compression strength, and leachability. The low leachability of Cd, Pb, and Fe from the compressed fly ash formulations could be attributed to a dual mechanism of microencapsulation and/or chemical fixation.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Abdel Raouf, M. W., and El Dessouky, M. I.(2001). “Use of some local unconventional materials in the treatment of liquid radioactive wastes: Characterization and adsorption studies.” Arab J. Nucl. Sci. Applic., 34(1), 15–28.
Abdel Raouf, M. W., El Dessouky, M. I., and Aly, H. F.(1997). “Sorption behavior of some radioactive isotopes on treated fly ash.” Arab J. Nucl. Sci. Applic., 30(2), 83–94.
Abdel Raouf, M. W., Zakaria, N., and Alian, A.(1996). “Adsorption of Sb (V) from radioactive organic waste solutions on different adsorbents.” Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. Lett., 214(1), 41–50.
American National Standards Institute/American Nuclear Society. (1986). “Leachability of solidified low-level radioactive wastes by a short-term test procedure.” ANSI/ANS 16.1-1986, La Grange Park, Ill.
Bernadikowski, T. A., Allender, J. S., Stone, J. A., Gordon, D. E., Gould, Jr., T. H., and Westberry III, C. F.(1983). “High-level nuclear waste form performance evaluation.” Ceram. Bull., 62(12), 1364–1390.
Bishop, P. L., Keener, T. C., Dusing, D. C., Gong, R., and Li, C. L. (1992). “Chemical fixation of flue gas desulfurization sludge and fly ash.” Stabilization and solidification of hazardous, radioactive, and mixed wastes, Vol. 2, ASTM Special Technical Publication 1123, T. M. Gilliam and C. C. Wiles, eds., Philadelphia, 103–118.
British Standard Institution. (1970). “Methods of testing concrete Part 4: Methods of testing concrete for strength.” BS-1981, London.
Cote, L., and Isabel, D. (1983). “Application of dynamic leaching test to solidified hazardous wastes.” Hazardous and industrial waste management: 3rd symposium, ASTM Special Technical Publication 856, Philadelphia, 48–60.
De Angelis, G., Marchetti, A., and Balzamo, S. (1992). “Leach studies: Influence of various parameters on the leachability of cesium from cemented BWR evaporator concentrates.” Stabilization and solidification of hazardous, radioactive and mixed wastes, ASTM Special Technical Publication 1123, T. M. Illiam and C. C. Wiles, eds., Philadelphia, Vol. 2.
de Groot, G. J., and Van der Sloot, H. A. (1992). “Determination of leaching characteristics of waste materials leading to environmental product certification.” Stabilization and solidification of hazardous, radioactive, and mixed wastes, ASTM Special Technical Publication, T. M. Gilliam and C. C. Wiles, eds., Philadelphia, Vol. 2, 149–170.
Egemen, E., and Yurteri, C.(1996). “Regulatory leaching tests for fly ash: A case study.” Waste Manage. Res., 14, 43–50.
El Dessouky, M. I., Abdel Raouf, M. W., and Aly, H. F.(1997). “Conditioning of radioactive waste sludge and treated fly ash sorbent in cement matrix.” Arab J. Nucl. Sci. Applic., 30(2), 63–82.
El Dessouky, M. I., El Dessouky, S. I., and Abou Mesalam, M. M.(2000). “Retention of some hazardous radionuclides from nitric acid solution using tin(IV) antimonate as a cation exchanger.” Radiochim. Acta, 88, 101–105.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (1992). “Test methods for evaluating solid waste.” Laboratory manual physical/chemical methods, Washington, D.C., Vol. 1C, Method 1311.
Erickson, D. C., and Rogers, L. (1991). “Leachability of chemicals from hazardous waste.” Waste testing and quality assurance, ASTM Special Technical Publication, D. Friedman, ed., Philadelphia, Vol. 3, 257–267.
Federal Register. (1980). 45 (No. 98; May 19), 33063–33285.
Guerrarro, A., Hernandez, M., and Sgonsi, S.(2000). “The role of the fly ash pozolonic activity in simulated sulfate radioactive liquid waste.” Waste Manage. Res., 20, 51–58.
Huffman, G. P., Huggins, F. E., Shah, N., Huggins, R., Linak, W. P., and Miller, C. A.(2000). “Characterization of fine particulate matter produced by combustion of residual fuel oil.” J. Air Waste Manage. Assoc., 50, 1106–1114.
Ibanez, R., Andres, J. A., and Ortiz, I.(1998). “Fly ash binders in stabilization of FGD wastes.” J. Environ. Eng., 124(1), 43–50.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). (1971). “Leach testing of immobilized radioactive waste solids: A proposal for a standard method.” At. Energy Rev., 9, 195–207.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). (1983). “Conditioning of low and intermediate-level radioactive wastes.” Rep., Vienna, Austria.
Parsa, J., Stuart, H., McGee, Manson, and Steiner, R.(1996). “Stabilization/solidification of hazardous wastes using fly ash.” J. Environ. Eng., 122(10), 935–940.
Pentinghaus, H. J. (2000). “Ashes, slag, and residue: Waste or raw materials?” Applied Mineralogy, E. Rammlmair et al., eds., Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Vol. 1, 61–62.
Singh, D., Tlutochowicz, M., and Wagh, S. A.(1999). “Development of zirconium/magnesium phosphate composites for immobilization of fission products.” J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 82(1), 43–49.
Wagh, A. S., Jeong, S. Y., Singh, D., Strain, R., No, H., and Wescott, J. (1997). “Stabilization of contaminated soil and wastewater with chemically bonded phosphate ceramics.” Proc., Waste Management Annual Meeting, Tucson, Ariz.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 130 • Issue 5 • May 2004
Pages: 499 - 507
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 13, 2002
Accepted: Mar 24, 2003
Published online: Apr 15, 2004
Published in print: May 2004
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.