Investigation of Cu leaching from municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash with a comprehensive approach

Abstract

Municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) bottom ash is often reused as a secondary construction material. This study used a comprehensive approach to characterize the leaching behavior of copper (Cu) from the MSWI bottom ash. The batch titration procedure was used to determine the acid neutralizing capacity and Cu leaching as a function of pH. The sequential extraction procedure (SEP) was adopted to analyze the speciation of Cu in the MSWI bottom ash. The metal speciation equilibrium model for surface and ground water (Visual MINTEQ) was used to evaluate the equilibrium of the leachates with the relative minerals, and to determine the speciation of the aqueous Cu in the leachates. Based on the multi-analysis of the results, Cu would be significantly released from the MSWI bottom ash when it is acidic. The Cu leaching pattern was not only affected by dissolved organic carbon, it was also limited by its speciation in the MSWI bottom ash. Furthermore, almost 100% of the aqueous Cu in the leachate was bound to organic matter in basic and neutral conditions, but mostly existed as Cu²⁺ in an acidic condition. These findings provide an important insight into predicting the leaching behavior of Cu from the MSWI bottom ash, as well as its impact on the environment.

Key words： MSWI bottom ash; Cu leaching; batch titration procedure; SEP

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the Innovative Research Team in Higher Educational Institutions of Zhejiang Province (No. T200912) and Significant Science and Technology Project of Zhejiang Province (Nos. 2008C13024-2, 2009C03007-1 and No. 2009C03007-2).

References

1 Wan X, Wang W, Ye T, Guo Y, Gao X. A study on the chemical and mineralogical characterization of MSWI fly ash using a sequential extraction procedure. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2006, 134(1-3): 197–201

2 Chimenos J M, Segarra M, Fernändez M A, Espiell F. Characterization of the bottom ash in municipal solid waste incinerator. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 1999, 64(3): 211–222

3 Zhao Y C, Song L J, Li G J. Chemical stabilization of MSW incinerator fly ashes. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2002, 95(1,2): 47–63

4 Belevi H, Langmeier M. Factors determining the element behavior in municipal solid waste incinerators. 2. Laboratory experiments. Environmental Science and Technology, 2000, 34(12): 2507–2512

5 Belevi H, Moench H. Factors determining the element behavior in municipal solid waste incinerators. 1. Field studies. Environmental Science and Technology, 2000, 34(12): 2501–2506

6 Zhang H, He P J, Shao L M. Flow analysis of heavy metals in MSW incinerators for investigating contamination of hazardous components. Environmental Science and Technology, 2008, 42(16): 6211–6217

7 Paquin P R, Santore R C, Wu K B, Kavvadas C D, Di Toro D M. The biotic ligand model: a model of the acute toxicity of metals to aquatic life. Environmental Science Policy, 2000, 3(Suppl 1): 175–182

8 Lu Y, Allen H E. Characterization of copper complexation with natural dissolved organic matter (DOM)-link to acidic moieties of DOM and competition by Ca and Mg. Water Research, 2002, 36(20): 5083–5101

9 Chakraborty P, Chakrabarti C L. Chemical speciation of Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn in mine effluents and effects of dilution of the effluent on release of the above metals from their metal-dissolved organic carbon (DOC) complexes. Analytica Chimica Acta, 2006, 571(2): 260–269

10 Van Zomeren A, Comans R N J. Contribution of natural organic matter to copper leaching from municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash. Environmental Science and Technology, 2004, 38(14): 3927–3932

11 Olsson S, van Schaik J W J, Gustafsson J P, Kleja D B, van Hees P A W. Copper(II) binding to dissolved organic matter fractions in municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash leachate. Environmental Science and Technology, 2007, 41(12): 4286–4291

12 Arickx S, van Gerven T, Boydens E, L'Hoëst P, Blanpain B, Vandecasteele C. Speciation of Cu in MSWI bottom ash and its relation to Cu leaching. Applied Geochemistry, 2008, 23(12): 3642–3650

13 Kinniburgh D G, Milne C J, Benedetti M F. Metal ion binding by humic acid: Application of the NICA-Donnan model. Environmental Science and Technology, 1996, 30(5): 1687–1698

14 Grimm D M, Azarraga L V, Carreira L A, Susetyo W. Continuous multiligand distribution model used to predict the stability constant of copper(II) metal complexation with humic material from fluorescence quenching data. Environmental Science and Technology, 1991, 25(8): 1427–1431

15 Gustafsson J P. Modeling the acid-base properties and metal complexation of humic substances with the stockholm humic model. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2001, 244(1): 102–112

16 Meima J A, van Zomeren A, Comans R N J. Complexation of Cu with dissolved organic carbon in municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash leachates. Environmental Science and Technology, 1999, 33(9): 1424–1429

17 Meima J A, Comans R N J. Geochemical modeling of weathering reactions in municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash. Environmental Science and Technology, 1997, 31(5): 1269–1276

18 Johnson C A, Brandenberger S, Baccini P. Acid neutralizing capacity of municipal waste incinerator bottom ash. Environmental Science and Technology, 1995, 29(1): 142–147

19 Tessier A, Campbell P G C, Bisson M. Sequential extraction procedure for the speciation of particulate trace metals. Analytical Chemistry, 1979, 51(7): 844–851

20 Yamasaki S. Digestion methods for total analysis. In: Japanese Society of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition Ed. Soil Environment Analysis, Hakuyusya, Tokyo, 1997, 278–288

21 Kersten M, Schulz-Dobrick B, Lichtensteiger T, Johnson C A. Speciation of Cr in leachates of a MSWI bottom ash landfill. Environmental Science and Technology, 1998, 32(10): 3448–3448

22 Van Zomeren A, Comans R N J. Carbon speciation in municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) bottom ash in relation to facilitated metal leaching. Waste Management, 2009, 29(7): 2059–2064

23 Polettini A, Pomi R. The leaching behavior of incinerator bottom ash as affected by accelerated ageing. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2004, 113(1-3): 209–215

24 Johnson C A, Furrer G. Influence of biodegradation processes on the duration of CaCO₃ as a pH buffer in municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash. Environmental Science and Technology, 2002, 36(2): 215–220

25 Johnson C A, Kersten M, Ziegler F, Moor H C. Leaching behaviour and solubility—Controlling solid phases of heavy metals in municipal solid waste incinerator ash. Waste Management, 1996, 16(1-3): 129–134

26 Eighmy T T, Eusden J D, Krzanowski J E. Comprehensive approach toward understanding element speciation and leaching behavior in municipal solid waste incineration electrostatic precipitator ash. Environmental Science and Technology, 1995, 29(3): 629–646

27 Ecke H, Svensson M. Mobility of organic carbon from incineration residues. Waste Management, 2008, 28(8): 1301–1309

28 Maiz I, Arambarri I, Garcia R, Millän E. Evaluation of heavy metal availability in polluted soils by two sequential extraction procedures using factor analysis. Environmental Pollution, 2000, 110(1): 3–9