Solidification/Stabilization of Hazardous Wastes Containing Metals and Organic Contaminants
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 129, Issue 4
Abstract
The potential of solidification/stabilization (S/S) technology for the safe disposal of hazardous wastes has wide spread recognition. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of portland cement-based S/S technology for the safe disposal of hazardous wastes containing toxic metals and organic contaminants. As hazardous wastes, metal enriched mining residue, adsorbable organic halogens (AOX) containing pulp and paper sludge, and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) oil-contaminated soil were used. For S/S of waste, portland cement as a binding agent was mixed with wastes at different ratios. For initial waste characterization, contaminant concentrations and some physical waste characteristics such as particle-size distribution, Atterberg limits, specific gravity, and moisture content yielding the maximum compacted dry density were determined. Waste and cement mixtures were cured for 28 days after compacting the desired waste-cement mixtures at their predetermined optimum moisture contents yielding the corresponding maximum dry densities in cylindrical molds having a height of 71 mm and a diameter of 36 mm. At the end of the 28-day cure period, unconfined compressive strength and hydraulic conductivity measurements were conducted on the solidified samples. Subsequently, solidified samples were crushed for fractionation into two different aggregate sizes (between 1–2 and >2 mm) and subjected to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP). The effectiveness of S/S was assessed by comparing the chemical composition of leachates obtained from TCLP tests of untreated and treated, i.e., S/S waste samples, and comparing values of strength and hydraulic conductivity of solidified waste samples with regulatory requirements. For mining waste, effective application of S/S was achieved for most cases. AOX containing sludge yielded acceptable results in terms of strength and hydraulic conductivity but leachate AOX concentrations were above regulatory levels. The effectiveness of S/S for coarse textured-soils contaminated with a PCB oil was not satisfactory, especially at a cement:soil ratio less than 35%.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Albino, V., Cioffi, R., De Vito, B., and Santoro, L.(1996a). “Evaluation of solid waste stabilization processes by means of leaching tests.” Environ. Technol., 17(3), 309–315.
Albino, V., Cioffi, R., Santoro, L., and Valenti, G. L.(1996b). “Stabilization of residue containing heavy metals by means of matrices generating calcium trisulphoaluminate and silicate hydrates.” Waste Manage. Res., 14(1), 29–41.
Al-Tabbaa, A., and Prose, S.(1996). “Treatability study of in-situ stabilization/solidification of soil contaminated with methylene blue.” Environ. Technol., 17(2), 191–197.
ASTM. (1992). “Standard classification of soils for engineering purposes (Unified Soil Classification System), ASTM Standards.” ASTM D 2487-92, Philadelphia.
ASTM. (1998). “Standard test method for particle size analysis of soils, annual book of ASTM standards.” ASTM D 422, American Society for Testing and Materials, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, Pa. 19428-2959.
ASTM. (1998). “Standard test method for unconfined compressive strength of cohesive soil, annual book of ASTM standards.” ASTM D 2166, American Society for Testing and Materials, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, Pa.
ASTM. (1998). “Test method for laboratory compaction characteristics of soils using standard effort, annual book of ASTM standards.” ASTM D 698, American Society for Testing and Materials, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, Pa.
American Water Works Association-American Public Health Association (AWWA-APHA). (1998). Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 20th Ed., Washington, D.C.
Cartledge, F. K., Butler, L. G., Chalasani, D., Eaton, H. C., Frey, F. P.,Herrera, E., Tittlebaum, M. E., and Yang, S.(1990). “Immobilization mechanisms in solidification/stabilization of Cd and Pb salts using portland cement fixing agents.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 24(6), 867–873.
Chang, J., Lin, T., Ko, M., and Liaw, D.(1999). “Stabilization/solidification of sludges containing heavy metals by using cement and waste pozzolans.” J. Environ. Sci. Health, Part A: Toxic/Hazard. Subst. Environ. Eng., 34(5), 1143–1160.
Cioffi, R., Maffucci, L., Martone, G., and Santoro, L.(1998). “Feasibility of manufacturing building materials by recycling a waste from ion exchange process.” Environ. Technol., 19(11), 1145–1150.
Cocke, D. L.(1990). “The binding chemistry and leaching mechanism of hazardous substances in cementitious solidification/stabilization systems.” J. Haz. Mat., 24(2/3), 231–253.
Conner, J. R., and Hoeffner, S. L.(1998). “A critical review of stabilization/solidification technology.” Crit. Rev. Environ. Sci. Technol., 28(4), 397–462.
Först, C., Stieglitz, L., Roth, W., and Kuhnmünch, S.(1989). “Application of headspace analysis and AOX-measurement to leachate from hazardous waste landfills.” Chemosphere, 18(9/10), 1943–1954.
Freeman, H. M. (1988). Standard handbook of hazardous waste treatment and disposal, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Ghosh, A., and Subbarao, C.(1998). “Hydraulic conductivity and leachate characteristics of stabilized fly ash.” J. Environ. Eng. (Reston, Va.), 124(9), 812–820.
Gitipour, S., Bowers, M. T., and Bodocsi, A.(1997). “The use of modified bentonite for removal of aromatic organics from contaminated soil.” J. Colloid Interface Sci., 196(2), 191–198.
Glasser, F. P.(1997). “Fundamental aspects of cement solidification and stabilization.” J. Haz. Mat., 52(2/3), 151–170.
Head, K. H. (1981), Manual of soil laboratory testing, Pentech Press, London, Vol. 2, 1017–1027.
Hills, C. D., Lange, L. C., Mole, C. F., Schrapel, K., and Poole, A. B.(1996). “The effect of alite content on portland cement solidified waste forms.” Environ. Technol., 17(6), 575–585.
Hills, C. D., Sollars, C. J., Koe, L. C., and Perry, R.(1995). “A colorimetric study of the effect of organic compounds on the initial behaviour of cement-based solidified wastes.” Waste Manage. Res., 13(1), 21–36.
Infante, R. N., and Acosta, I. L.(1988). “Comparison of extraction procedures for the determination of heavy metals in airborne particulate matter by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy.” Atomic Spectrosc., 9(6), 191–194.
LaGrega, M. D., Buckingham, P. L., and Evans, J. C. (1994). Hazardous waste management, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Lange, L., Hills, C., and Poole, A.(1996). “Preliminary investigation into the effects of carbonation on cement-solidified hazardous wastes.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 30(1), 25–30.
Macias, A., Kindness, A., and Glasser, F. P.(1997). “Impact of carbon dioxide on the immobilization potential of cemented wastes: chromium.” Cement Conc. Res., 27(2), 215–225.
Parsa, J., Munson-McGee, S. H., and Steiner, R.(1996). “Stabilization/solidification of hazardous wastes using fly ash.” J. Environ. Eng. (Reston, Va.), 122(10), 935–940.
Pollard, S. J., Montgomery, D. M., Sollars, C. J., and Perry, R.(1991). “Organic compounds in the cement-based stabilization/solidification of hazardous mixed wastes-mechanisms and process considerations.” J. Haz. Mat., 28(3), 313–327.
Poon, C. S., Clark, A. I., and Perry, A.(1986). “Permeability study on the cement based solidification process for the disposal of hazardous wastes.” Cement Conc. Res., 16(2), 161–172.
Porteus, A. (1985). Hazardous waste management handbook, Butterworths, London.
Pritts, J. W., Neufeld, R. D., and Cobb, J. T.(1999). “Stabilization of heavy metal containing hazardous wastes with by-products from advanced clean coal technology systems.” J. Air Waste Manage. Assoc., 49(10), 1190–1200.
Rho, H., Arafat, H. A., Kountz, B., Buchanan, R. C., Pinto, N. G., and Bishop, P. L.(2001). “Decomposition of hazardous organic materials in the solidification/stabilization process using catalytic-activated carbon.” Waste Manage., 21(4), 343–356.
Roy, A., Eaton, H. C., Cartledge, F. K., and Tittlebaum, M. E.(1992). “Solidification/stabilization of hazardous waste: evidence of physical encapsulation.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 26(7), 1349–1353.
Sweeney, R. H., Hills, C. D., and Buenfeld, N. R.(1998). “Investigation into the carbonation of stabilised/solidified synthetic waste.” Environ. Technol., 19(9), 893–902.
Taseli, B. K., and Gokcay, C. F.(1999). “Biological treatment of paper pulping effluents by using a fungal reactor.” Water Sci. Technol., 40(11), 93–99.
Turkish Republic Official Gazette. (1995). “Ministry of environment hazardous waste control regulation, number 22387.”
United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). (1989). “International waste technologies/geo-con in-situ solidification/stabilization.” Applications Analysis Rep. No. EPA/540/A5-89/004.
U.S. EPA. (1992). “Silicate technology corporations solidification/stabilization technology for organic and inorganic contaminants in soils.” Applications Analysis Rep. No. EPA/540/AR-92/010.
U.S. EPA. (1994). EPA Regulations 40 CRF 761, Chap. 1 (7-1-94 Edition), Sec. 761.60/.65/.125, July 1, 1994.
U.S. EPA. (1996). Test methods for evaluating solid wastes, physical/chemical methods, SW-846, 3rd Ed., Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Washington, D.C.
U.S. EPA. (1997). “Technology alternatives for the remediation of soils contaminated with As, Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb.” Engineering Bulletin EPA/540/S-97/500, U.S. Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C.
Watts, R. J. (1998). Hazardous wastes, sources, pathways, receptors, Wiley, New York.
Webster, M. T., and Loehr, R. C.(1996). “Long term leaching of metals from concrete products.” J. Environ. Eng., 122(8), 714–721.
Wiebusch, B., Ozaki, M., Watanabe, H., and Seyfried, C. F.(1998). “Assessment of leaching tests on construction material made of incinerator ash (sewage sludge): Investigations in Japan and Germany.” Water Sci. Technol., 38(7), 195–205.
Wiles, C. C.(1987). “A review of solidification/stabilization technology.” J. Haz. Mat., 14(1), 5–21.
Yaziz, M. I., Chin, F. L., Tang, S. N., and Bich, N. N.(1999). “Heavy metal leaching of solidified sludge from a glass components industry.” J. Environ. Sci. Health, Part A: Toxic/Hazard. Subst. Environ. Eng., 34(4), 853–861.
Yousuf, M., Mollah, A., Vempati, R. K., Lin, C., and Cocke, D. L.(1995). “The interfacial chemistry of solidification/stabilization of metals in cement and pozzolanic material systems.” Waste Manage., 15(2), 137–148.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 2003 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 28, 2001
Accepted: May 22, 2002
Published online: Mar 14, 2003
Published in print: Apr 2003
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.