Trace Metal Leaching from Embankment Soils Amended with High-Carbon Fly Ash
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 140, Issue 1
Abstract
The use of fly ash in highway applications as a stabilizing agent and soil amendment for embankments has become very common owing to its economical advantages. However, fly ash may contain toxic constituents that may pose environmental risk if they leach through the soil and reach groundwater. A series of water leach tests (WLTs), toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) tests, and column leach tests (CLTs) were conducted to define the leaching of aluminum, arsenic, chromium, and zinc from a self-cementitious fly ash and four different off-spec high-carbon ashes. Laboratory results indicated that an increase in fly ash contents generally yields an increase in pH and leached metal concentrations regardless of the type of fly ash and metals. Furthermore, it was determined that there were significant differences in the leached metal concentrations measured in the three different laboratory tests, i.e., . Analyses conducted using a numerical groundwater model indicated that predicted field metal concentrations for the mixtures prepared with high-carbon fly ash were generally lower than the concentrations measured in the laboratory and decreased to concentration levels that do not possess any environmental risk.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This study was financially supported by FHWA Recycled Materials Resource Center (RMRC), Maryland State Highway Administration (MD-SHA), Maryland Water Resources Research Center (MWRRC), and Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD-DNR). Endorsement by RMRC, MD-SHA, MWRRC, and MD-DNR or the fly ash suppliers is not implied and should not be assumed.
References
Apul, D. S., Diaz, M. E., Gustafsson, J. P., and Hundal, L. S. (2010). “Geochemical modeling of trace elements release from biosolids.” Environ. Eng. Sci., 27(9), 743–755.
Apul, D. S., Gardner, K. H., and Eighmy, T. T. (2007). “Modeling hydrology and reactive transport in roads: The effect of cracks, the edge, and contaminant properties.” Waste Manag., 27(10), 1465–1475.
Arora, S., and Aydilek, A. H. (2005). “Class F fly-ash-amended soils as highway base materials.” J. Mater. Civil Eng., 17(6), 640–649.
ASTM. (2004). “Historical standard: Standard test method for shake extraction of solid waste with water.” D3987-85, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2007). “Standard test methods for particle-size analysis of soils.” D422-63, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2010). “Standard test methods for liquid limit, plastic limit, and plasticity index of soils.” D4318-10, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2012a). “Standard specification for coal fly ash and raw or calcined natural pozzolan for use in concrete.” C618-12a, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2012b). “Standard test methods for laboratory compaction characteristics of soil using standard effort ( ()).” D698-12, West Conshohocken, PA.
Baykal, G., Edincliler, A., and Saygili, A. (2004). “Highway embankment construction using fly ash in cold regions.” Resour. Conserv. Recycling, 42(3), 209–222.
Bernot, M. J., Calkins, M., Bernot, R. J., and Hunt, M. (2011). “The influence of different urban pavements on water chemistry.” Road Mater. Pavement Des., 12(1), 159–176.
Bin-Shafique, B., Benson, C. H., Edil, T. B., and Hwang, K. (2006). “Leachate concentrations from water leach and column leach tests on fly-ash stabilized soil.” Environ. Eng. Sci., 23(1), 51–65.
Brooks, R., Udoeyo, F. F., and Takkalapelli, K. V. (2011). “Geotechnical properties of problem soils stabilized with fly ash and limestone dust in Philadelphia.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng., 23(5), 711–716.
Cetin, B., Aydilek, A. H., and Guney, Y. (2012a). “Leaching of trace metals from high carbon fly ash stabilized highway base layers.” Resour. Conserv. Recycling, 58, 8–17.
Cetin, B., Aydilek, A. H., and Li, L. (2012b). “Experimental and numerical analysis of metal leaching from fly ash-amended highway bases.” Waste Manag., 32(5), 965–978.
Cotton, A. F., and Wilkinson, G. (1999). Advanced inorganic chemistry, 5th Ed., Wiley, New York.
Daniels, J. L., and Das, G. P. (2006). “Leaching behavior of lime-fly ash mixtures.” J. Environ. Eng. Sci., 23(1), 42–52
Engelsen, C. J., van der Sloot, H. A., Wibetoe, G., Justnes, H., Lund, W., and Stoltenberg-Hansson, E. (2010). “Leaching characterization and geochemical modeling of minor and trace elements released from recycled concrete aggregates.” Cement Concr. Res., 40(12), 1639–1649.
Gitari, W. M., Fatoba, O. O., Petrik, L. F., and Vadapalli, W. R. K. (2009). “Leaching characteristics of selected South African fly ashes: Effect of pH on the release of major and trace species.” J. Environ. Sci. Health Part A, 44(2), 206–220.
International Energy Agency (IEA). (2013). “International Energy Outlook 2013.” 〈http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/ieo/index.cfm〉 (Apr. 22, 2013).
Jegadeesan, G., Al-Abed, S. R., and Pinto, P. (2008). “Influence of trace metal distribution on its leachability from coal fly ash.” Fuel, 87(10–11), 1887–1893.
Jerath, S., and Hanson, N. (2007). “Effect of fly ash content and aggregate gradation on the durability of concrete pavements.” J. Mater. Civil Eng., 19(5), 367–375.
Kim, B., Prezzi, M., and Salgado, R. (2005). “Geotechnical properties of fly and bottom ash mixtures for use in highway embankments.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 131(7), 914–924.
Komonweeraket, K., Benson, C. H., Edil, T. B., and Bleam, W. F. (2010). “Mechanisms controlling leaching of heavy metals from soil stabilized with fly ash.” Geo Engineering Rep. 02-14, Geo Engineering Program, Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI.
Li, L., Benson, C. H., Edil, T. B., and Hatipoglu, B. (2007). “Groundwater impacts from coal ash in highways.” Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng. Waste Resour. Manag., 159(4), 151–163.
Li, L., Peng, B., Santos, F., Li, Y., and Amini, F. (2011). “Groundwater impacts from leaching of coal combustion products in roadways embankment constructions.” J. ASTM Int., 8(8), 1–12.
Lim, T. T., Tay, J. H., Tan, L. C., Choa, V., and The, C. I. (2004). “Changes in mobility and speciation of heavy metals in clay-amended incinerator fly ash.” Environ. Geol., 47(1), 1–10.
Maryland State Highway Administration (MD-SHA). (2004). Roadway design manual, Maryland State Highway Administration, Baltimore.
Mudd, G. M., Weaver, T. R., and Kodikara, J. (2004). “Environmental geochemistry of leachate from leached brown coal ash.” J. Environ. Eng., 130(12), 1514–1526.
Osterhues, M. (2006). “On the way to greener highways.” Public Roads, 70(3).
Özkök, E., Davis, A. P., and Aydilek, A. H. (2013). “Leaching of As, Cr, and Cu from high carbon fly ash/soil mixtures.” J. Environ. Eng., 10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0000751 (Jul. 11, 2013).
Pandey, V. C., Singh, J. S., Singh, R. P., Singh, N., and Yunus, M. (2011). “Arsenic hazard in coal fly ash and its fate in Indian scenario.” Resour. Conserv. Recycling, 55(9–10), 819–835.
Punthutaecha, K., Puppala, A. J., Vanapalli, S., and Inyang, H. (2006). “Volume change behaviors of expansive soils stabilized with recycled ashes and fibers.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng., 18(2), 295–306.
Puppala, A. J., Punthutaecha, K., and Vanapalli, S. (2006). “Soil water characteristic curves of stabilized expansive soils.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 132(6), 736–751.
Quina, M. J., Bordado, J., and Quinta-Ferreira, R. M. (2008). “Treatment and use of air pollution control residues from MSW incineration: An overview.” Waste Manag., 28(11), 2097–2121.
Samaras, P., Papadimitriou, C. A., Haritou, I., and Zouboulis, A. I. (2008). “Investigation of sewage sludge stabilization potential by the addition of fly ash and lime.” J. Hazard. Mater., 154(1–3), 1052–1059.
Sauer, J. J., Benson, C. H., Aydilek, A. H., and Edil, T. B. (2012). “Trace elements leaching from organic soils stabilized with high carbon fly ash.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 138(8), 968–980.
Sekhar Madhyannapu, R., Madhav, M. R., Puppala, A. J., and Ghosh, A. (2008). “Compressibility and collapsibility characteristics of sedimented fly ash beds.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng., 20(6), 401–409.
Soleimanbeigi, A., Edil, T. B., and Benson, C. H. (2013). “Evaluation of fly ash stabilization of recycled asphalt shingles for use in structural fills.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng., 25(1), 94–104.
Sparks, D. L. (2003). Environmental soil chemistry, 2nd Ed., Academic Press, San Diego.
Su, T., Shi, H., and Wang, J. (2011). “Impact of trona-based control on the elemental leaching behavior of fly ash.” Energy Fuels, 25(8), 3514–3521.
Thorneloe, S. A., Kosson, D. S., Sanchez, F., Garrabrants, A. C., and Helms, G. (2010). “Evaluating the fate of metals in air pollution control residues from coal-fired power plants.” Environ. Sci. Tech., 44(19), 7351–7356.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2011). U.S. Department of Commerce–United States Census Bureau Rep., 〈http://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/sysmessage.php〉 (Sep. 30, 2013).
U.S. EPA. (1986). “Test methods for evaluating solid waste, physical/chemical methods, updates I, II, IIB, III, and IIIA.” NTIS Publication No. PB97-156111, Office of Solid Waste, Washington, DC.
van der Hoek, E. E., Bonouvrie, P. A., and Comans, R. N. J. (1994). “Sorption of As and Se on mineral components of fly ash: Relevance for leaching processes.” Appl. Geochem., 9(4), 403–412.
Van Herck, P., Van der Bruggen, B., Vogels, G., and Vandecasteele, C. (2000). “Application of computer modeling to predict the leaching behavior of heavy metals from MSWI fly ash and comparison with a sequential extraction method.” Waste Manag., 20(2–3), 203–210.
Xue, Y. J., Hou, H. B., Zhu, S. J., and Zha, J. (2009). “Utilization of municipal solid waste incineration ash in stone mastic asphalt mixture: Pavement performance and environmental impact.” Constr. Build. Mater., 23(2), 989–996.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 140 • Issue 1 • January 2014
Pages: 1 - 13
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 22, 2013
Accepted: Jul 1, 2013
Published online: Jul 4, 2013
Published in print: Jan 1, 2014
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.