Ultrasound-enhanced electrokinetic remediation for removal of Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd in municipal solid waste incineration fly ashes

Simultaneous removal of PAHs and heavy metals from soil by combining electrokinetic-assisted delivery of persulfate and ultrasound activation

Herein, we proposed and demonstrated a novel approach of combining electrokinetics (EK)-assisted delivery of persulfate (PS) and ultrasound-induced thermal activation of PS and release of heavy metals, to synchronously remove organic pollutants and heavy metals from soil. Results showed that in tested soil, the mass transfer efficiency of PS induced by electromigration was approximately 3.36 times that by electroosmotic flow and 1416 times that by diffusion. Compared to the PS injection alone, EK-assisted delivery of PS significantly increased the degradation rate of phenanthrene, improving from 21.60 % to 76.23 %. Due to the applied ultrasound, the temperature of soil was observed to reach target temperatures∼50℃ for effective PS activation, and hydroxyl radicals and alkyl-like radicals were detected in the soil. Moreover, the decomposition of PS on the cathode electrode inhibited the electrolytic water reaction, avoiding the focusing effect and potential flattening. Concurrently, ultrasound thermally activated PS promoted the release of heavy metals from soil. As a result, the removal rates of Pb, Zn and Cd near the anode region increased from 0.00 %, 5.49 % and 11.72 % to 11.89 %, 82.64 % and 86.30 %, respectvcely. These results indicated the novel approach holds the potential for simultaneous removal of organic pollutants and heavy metals.

Optimizing electrokinetic remediation for pollutant removal and electroosmosis/dewatering using lateral anode configurations

Soil electrokinetics (SEK) research has been widely used in various fields such as soil remediation, dewatering, land restoration, geophysics, sedimentation, pollution prevention, consolidation, and seed germination. According to our most recent published research on SEK process design modifications during the last 30 years (1993-2022), more than 150 designs have been introduced to assure SEK's maximum performance. Incorporating lateral electrodes/anodes was not documented in the existing literature, which motivated us to investigate the output of this design. In this study, we aimed to enhance the performance of the perforated cathode pipe soil electrokinetic remediation (SEKR) system (PCPSS) for removing inorganic pollutants by installing lateral anodes (LA-PCPSS) using two approaches. In the first approach, the LA-PCPSS was connected to different sources of applied voltages (DSAV) from different power supplies, while in the second approach, the entire operation system was connected to the same source of applied voltage (SSAV). We used the Taguchi approach (L9OA) to determine the optimal levels of applied voltages for the DSAV system. The results indicated that the DSAV-(LA-PCPSS) could be optimized at an applied voltage of 1 V cm-1 for the surface and the first and second lateral anodes. The indigenous Sr (elements found in the tested soil without artificial pollution) in kaolinite showed the best response among other elements (Ni and other indigenous elements) when optimizing the DSAV-(LA-PCPSS) using the Taguchi approach. Installing lateral anodes (position B) supplied to low applied voltage (0.5 V cm-1) improved the electroosmosis (EO) rate/dewatering. Reverse migration of ions was observed during the remediation of real contaminated soil using the SSAV-(LA-PCPSS). The DSAV-(LA-PCPSS) is considered an appropriate design for the SEKR of inorganic pollutants, and increases the EO flow/dewatering. Additionally, the increased energy consumption employing the DSAV-(LA-PCPSS) was extremely minimal compared to the traditional PCPSS, which is an economic advantage for SEKR research. The DSAV-(LA-PCPSS) is still under optimization/intensification process, and subsequent processes will be examined to achieve high efficiency.

Immobilization mechanisms of heavy metals by utilizing natural cow bone waste for municipal solid waste incineration fly ash treatment

Municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) fly ash poses intricate compositional challenges and potential environmental hazards. Effective management of such hazardous waste is imperative to mitigate the release of toxic compounds into the environment. Solidification/stabilization (S/S) processes have emerged as a viable strategy to transform MSWI fly ash from incineration waste into a safer and more environmentally benign material. This study aims to comprehensively investigate the potential of utilizing cow bone waste to stabilize heavy metals, focusing on Pb, within municipal solid waste incineration fly ash. Experimental investigations encompassed cow bone-to-fly ash weight ratios ranging from 0.0 (control group) to 7:3, a settling time of 2 h, and a liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratio of 1.0 mL/g. Cow bone waste exhibited pronounced efficacy, particularly within the short settling time, yielding a remarkable Pb removal efficiency of up to 99% at a cow bone waste dose of merely 2% and an L/S ratio of 1.0 mL/g. Concurrently, other heavy metals such as Cd, Cu, and Zn were effectively stabilized with a cow bone waste dose of 1.5% during the same 2-h settling period. The results underscore the pivotal roles of ash/bone ratio and settling time in augmenting Pb stabilization in MSWI fly ash. The application of cow bone waste is anticipated to offer a cost-effective and environmentally sound approach, aligning with sustainable waste management principles.

A comprehensive review on the ultrasound-enhanced leaching recovery of valuable metals: Applications, mechanisms and prospects

In recent two decades, ultrasound has been broadly applied to the hydrometallurgical leaching process to recover valuable metals within raw materials, aiming to solve the shortcomings of the conventional leaching process, including relatively low leaching recovery, long leaching duration, high reagent usage, high energy consumption and so on. The present work focuses on a comprehensive overview of the ultrasound-enhanced leaching of various metals, such as common nonferrous and ferrous metals, rare metals, rare earth elements, and precious metals, from raw metal ores and secondary resources. Moreover, the enhanced leaching mechanisms by ultrasound are discussed in detail and summarized based on the improvement of leaching kinetics, enhancement of the mass transfer and diffusion of lixiviants, and promotion of the oxidative conversion of metals from insoluble to soluble states. Lastly, the challenges and outlooks of future research on the leaching recovery for valuable metals with the assistance of ultrasound irradiation are proposed.

Effects of Pretreatment and Polarization Shielding on EK-PRB of Fe/Mn/C-LDH for Remediation of Arsenic Contaminated Soils

In this study, coupling electrokinetic (EK) with the permeable reactive barriers (PRB) of Fe/Mn/C-LDH composite was applied for the remediation of arsenic-contaminated soils. By using self-made Fe/Mn/C-LDH materials as PRB filler, the effects of pretreatment and polarization shielding on EK-PRB of Fe/Mn/C-LDH for remediation of arsenic contaminated soils were investigated. For the pretreatment, phosphoric acid, phosphoric acid and water washing, and phosphate were adopted to reduce the influence of iron in soil. The addition of phosphate could effectively reduce the soil leaching toxicity concentration. The removal rate of the soil pretreated with phosphoric acid or phosphoric acid and water washing was better than with phosphate pretreatment. For the polarization shielding, circulating electrolyte, electrolyte type, anion and cation membranes, and the exchange of cathode and anode were investigated. The electrolyte circulates from the cathode chamber to the anode chamber through the peristaltic pump to control the pH value of the electrolyte, and the highest arsenic toxicity removal rate in the soil reaches 97.36%. The variation of total arsenic residue in soil using anion and cation membranes is the most regular. The total arsenic residue gradually decreases from cathode to anode. Electrode exchange can neutralize H⁺ and OH^- produced by electrolyte, reduce the accumulation of soil cathode area, shield the reduction of repair efficiency caused by resistance polarization, enhance current, and improve the removal rate of arsenic in soil.

Coupled microwave hydrothermal dechlorination and geopolymer preparation for the solidification/stabilization of heavy metals and chlorine in municipal solid waste incineration fly ash

To improve the degradation efficiency of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWIFA), as well as to overcome the difficulties of subsequent hydrothermal liquid and hydrothermal slag treatment, a two-step treatment strategy of microwave hydrothermal degradation coupled with geopolymer immobilization was proposed. Results showed that the optimal process parameters for microwave hydrothermal dechlorination were a temperature of 220 °C, a time of 1 h, and NaOH addition of 10 wt%. Microwaves accelerated the OH^- mediated hydrolysis reactions and promoted the breaking of CCl bonds, leading to dechlorination. The compressive strength of the 20 % MSWIFA-based geopolymers reached 75.79 MPa, and the immobilization rate of the heavy metals (HMs) and Cl^- surpassed 90 %. Alkaline environment provided by microwave hydrothermal promoted the formation of Ca(OH)₂, which subsequently formed Friedel's salt (3CaO•Al₂O₃•CaCl₂•10H₂O) with Cl^- in the geopolymer. The charge density difference and density of states (DOS) of Friedel's salt were analyzed by first-principles calculations, confirming that the existence of strong interactions between Ca-s, Al-p, O-p, and Cl-p states was the chemical mechanism of Cl^- immobilization. The Friedel's salt and HMs were encapsulated by geopolymers with dense silica-alumina tetrahedral frameworks, achieving the solidification/stabilization (S/S) of HMs and Cl^-. This work provided a new approach for the environmentally sound and resourceful treatment of MSWIFA.

Parental cadmium exposure during the spawning period reduces cadmium sensitivity through the antioxidant system in rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) larvae

Cadmium (Cd) is a noxious heavy metal widely dispersed in aquatic systems. Parental Cd exposure of fish species at environmental concentrations has been shown to cause deformities and stunted growth in their offspring. However, the long-term effects and the mechanisms underlying parental Cd exposure in fish species on Cd sensitivity in their offspring remain unclear. To explore the impacts of parental Cd exposures on Cd sensitivity, rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) larvae whose parents were exposed to Cd at 0, 5 or 10 μg/L for 28 days were established. Results showed that parental Cd exposure in rare minnow increased the Cd content of its larvae. In terms of malformation rate, mortality rate and total length at 7 days of rare minnow larvae, parental Cd exposure at 5 or 10 μg/L reduced Cd sensitivity. Further mechanistic investigation demonstrated that parental Cd exposure significantly upregulated the expression of antioxidant gene regulated by nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-кB) in rare minnow larvae. In addition, parental Cd exposure significantly elevated the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), but markedly decreased catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and oxidized glutathione (GST) activity. The impact of parental Cd exposure to metallothionein (MT) content and the expression of MT mRNA, a detoxifying metallothionein, showed that parental Cd exposure of rare minnow induced oxidative stress in the larvae. Meanwhile, these results indicated that parental Cd exposure in rare minnow reduced the Cd sensitivity of the larvae via activating the Nrf2-mediated antioxidant system. This project helps us to further understand the toxicological mechanism of Cd in fish species and properly assess its potential ecological risk.

Disposal technology and new progress for dioxins and heavy metals in fly ash from municipal solid waste incineration: A critical review

Incineration has gradually become the most effective way to deal with MSW due to its obvious volume reduction and weight reduction effects. However, since heavy metals and organic pollutants carried by municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash (MSWI FA) pose a serious threat to the ecological environment and human health, they need to be handled carefully. In this study, the current status of MSWI FA disposal was first reviewed, and the harmless and resourceful disposal technologies of heavy metals and organic pollutants in MSWI FA are summarized as well. A summary of the advantages and disadvantages of each technology, including sintering, melting/vitrification, hydrothermal treatment, mechanochemistry, solidification/stabilization of MSWI FA, is compared. Finally, the research work that needs to be strengthened in the future (such as codisposal of multiple wastes, long-term stability research of disposal products, etc.) was proposed. Through comprehensive analysis, some reasonable and feasible suggestions were provided for the effective and safe disposal of MSWI FA in the future.

MSWI Fly Ash Multiple Washing: Kinetics of Dissolution in Water, as Function of Time, Temperature and Dilution

Municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (FA) can represent a sustainable supply of supplementary material to the construction industries if it is pre-treated to remove hazardous substances such as chloride, sulfate, and heavy metals. In this paper, the phenomenology associated with a water washing multi-cycle treatment of FA is investigated, focusing attention upon the mineral dissolution process. The efficacy of the treatment is assessed by leaching tests, according to the European Standard, and discussed in light of the occurring mineral phases. The water-to-solid (L/S) ratio is a crucial parameter, along with the number of washing cycles, for removing halite and sylvite, whereas quartz, calcite, anhydrite, and an amorphous phase remain in the solid residue. The sequential extraction method and dissolution kinetics modelling provide further elements to interpret leaching processes, and suggest that dissolution takes place through a two-step mechanism. Altogether, multi-step washing with L/S = 5 is effective in reducing contaminants under the legal limits for non-hazardous waste disposal, while the legal limits for non-reactive or reusable material cannot be completely reached, owing to sulfate and some heavy metals which still leached out from the residue.

Chelating surfactant N-lauroyl ethylenediamine triacetate enhanced electrokinetic remediation of copper and decabromodiphenyl ether co-contaminated low permeability soil: Applicability analysis

In this study, chelating surfactant N-lauroyl ethylenediamine triacetate (N-LED3A) was used as strengthening agent for electrokinetic (EK) remediation of copper (Cu) and decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) co-contaminated low permeability soil. The results indicated that negligible amount of N-LED3A would be adsorbed on the experimental soil. The synchronous elution efficiencies (SEEs) of Cu and BDE209 had reached 65.4% and 49.9%, respectively, when the concentration of N-LED3A was 4000 mg/L, and they kept almost unchanged as the concentration of N-LED3A further increased. Meanwhile, the optimal SEEs were obtained at the pH condition within 6-8. The removal efficiencies of Cu (55.3%-65.8%) and BDE209 (31.4%-46.4%) would be increased with the applied voltage gradient and concentration of N-LED3A. In addition, BDE209 and Cu contaminants were also detected in the catholyte and anolyte, respectively, and their concentrations still showed an uptrend by the end of the experiments. While in the control experiments, the removal efficiency of Cu was in the range of 18.2%-23.6%, and almost no BDE209 was migrated out. The electric current would be increased with N-LED3A concentration increased, further resulting in the enhancement of cumulative electro-osmotic flow (EOF). However, the increment of EOF was limited after an 8-day treatment due to the declined capacity of the soil water supply, and the removal efficiency of BDE209 did not change proportionally to the cumulative EOF as a consequence. The accumulated (21 days) energy consumption under the optimal operation conditions (voltage gradient 1 V/cm, N-LED3A 1 g/L) was 377.28 KWh/m³. Efficiently synchronous removal of BDE209 and Cu could be achieved by the N-LED3A enhanced EK technique, exhibiting a promising application potential in the organic pollutant and heavy metal co-contaminated soil remediation.

A mini-review of heavy metal recycling technologies for municipal solid waste incineration fly ash

This mini-review article summarizes the available technologies for the recycling of heavy metals (HMs) in municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash (FA). Recovery technologies included thermal separation (TS), chemical extraction (CE), bioleaching, and electrochemical processes. The reaction conditions of various methods, the efficiency of recovering HMs from MSWI FA and the difficulties and solutions in the process of technical development were studied. Evaluation of each process has also been done to determine the best HM recycling method and future challenges. Results showed that while bioleaching had minimal environmental impact, the process was time-consuming. TS and CE were the most mature technologies, but the former process was not cost-effective. Overall, it has the greatest economic potential to recover metals by CE with scrubber liquid produced by a wet air pollution control system. An electrochemical process or solvent extraction could then be applied to recover HMs from the enriched leachate. Ongoing development of TS and bioleaching technologies could reduce the treatment cost or time.

Treatment of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash: State-of-the-art technologies and future perspectives

Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash is considered as a hazardous waste that requires specific treatment before disposal. The principal treatments encompass thermal treatment, stabilization/solidification, and resource recovery. To maximize environmental, social, and economic benefits, the development of low-carbon and sustainable treatment technologies for MSWI fly ash has attracted extensive interests in recent years. This paper critically reviewed the state-of-the-art treatment technologies and novel resource utilization approaches for the MSWI fly ash. Innovative technologies and future perspectives of MSWI fly ash management were highlighted. Moreover, the latest understanding of immobilization mechanisms and the use of advanced characterization technologies were elaborated to foster future design of treatment technologies and the actualization of sustainable management for MSWI fly ash.

Biotreatment for the spent lithium-ion battery in a three-module integrated microbial-fuel-cell recycling system

A bio-electrochemically (BE) recycling platform was assembled to recover Li and Co from the cathodic materials of spent LIBs in one integrated system. The BE platform consists of three microbial-fuel-cell (MFC) subsystems, including MFC-A, MFC-B, and MFC-C. Co and Li were smoothly recovered from the cathodic materials in the assembled platform. The initial pH and the loading ratios of LiCoO₂ both significantly influenced the leaching efficiencies of Li and Co in MFC-A. Approximately 45% Li and 93% Co were simultaneously released through the reduction of LiCoO₂ at the initial pH of 1 and the loading ratios of LiCoO₂ of 0.2 g/L. The (NH₄)₂C₂O₄-modified granular activated carbons (GAC) with a thickness of 1.5 cm was favorably stacked adjacent to the cathode of the MFC-B system. About 98% of removal efficiency (RE_Co1) and 96% of recovery efficiency (RE_Co2) of Co were achieved in MFC-B under optimum conditions. The dosing concentration of Li⁺ lower than 2 mg/L and the (NH₄)₂CO₃ of 0.01-0.02 M were conducive to enhancing the recovery of Li from raffinate and guaranteed the higher power output and coulombic efficiencies in MFC-C. The continuous release of CO₂ caused by exoelectrogenic microorganisms on the biofilm facilitated the precipitation of Li₂CO₃.

Mechanism exploration on the aluminum supplementation coupling the electrokinetics-activating geopolymerization that reinforces the solidification of the municipal solid waste incineration fly ashes

Traditional cementation technique is insufficient in making municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ashes meet the permissible leaching threshold. Aluminum supplementation and electrokinetic (EK) activation were combinedly incorporated into the traditional solidification pathway to enhance the geopolymerization and the immobilization of Pb and Cd in MSWI fly ashes in this study. The aluminum addition remarkably affected the geopolymer formation. The minimum toxicity leaching as well as the maximum compressive strength were achieved at the combination of the voltage gradient of 1.0 V/cm, the proposing time of 48 or 72 h, the mass ratio of alkali activator to fly ash of 11.5%, and the modulus of 2.1. Chloride reduction in the mortar obtained during the EK process increased the negative charge relativity of oligomers. The leaching concentrations of Pb and Cd from the geopolymer were successfully predicted by a linear model based on the compressive strengths at 28 d. Higher reaction degree was found in the EK-activated mortar in the geopolymerization kinetics. Aluminum supplementation had induced the production of some amorphous aluminosilicate minerals including Al₆Si₂O₁₃, CaAl₂Si₂O₈·4H₂O, Ca₂Al₃(Si₃O₁₂)OH, Ca₂Al(OH)₇·3H₂O, and Ca₄Al₂O₆Cl₂·10H₂O during the EK process. Larger particles observed in the EK-treated specimen directly verified the EK-activated pozzolanic reactions.

Enhanced nodulation and higher germination using sludge ash as a carrier for biofertilizer production

Sludge ash, a byproduct resulting from the combustion of the dewatered sludge generated in the sewage treatment plants, is recognized as a hazardous solid waste throughout the world. This solid waste, which is produced in behemoth volume, has very limited applications and is directly disposed to landfills. The present study aims to explore a novel strategy for utilizing this solid waste for the development of Rhizobium biofertilizer and thus reducing the burden on landfills. The Rhizobium inoculum was prepared and mixed with sludge ash to formulate Rhizobium biofertilizer, and shelf life of this formulation was evaluated by counting colony forming unit. The prepared formulation was applied on lentil seeds, and its effect was analyzed by assessing the plant growth along with other yield characteristics. Enhanced colony forming unit count (6487.78) was observed in sludge ash carrier combination with a better shelf life of five months in comparison to lignite carrier formulation from the beginning of the experiment (9.1%) till 150th day (69.8%). Lentil seeds treated with sludge ash based biofertilizer showed luxuriant growth with 19% enhanced root length, 42% in number of nodules, 10% in plant growth and 53.40% in seed yield as compared to conventional lignite formulations. Hence, biofertilizer produced from waste material sludge ash is not supposed to cause a hazard for the soil and plants when incorporated in defined amount and can prove to be a substitute for conventional lignite carrier in biofertilizer production.

Experimental study on removing heavy metals from the municipal solid waste incineration fly ash with the modified electrokinetic remediation device

The MSWI fly ash which contains a large number of heavy metal substances is a subsidiary product of waste incineration power generation technology. If the MSWI fly ash is disposed improperly, heavy metal pollutants will pose a great threat to environmental safety and human health. Based on the technology of electrokinetic remediation, the feasibility of removing heavy metal pollutants from the MSWI fly ash using a modified electrokinetic remediation device - cylinder device was evaluated in this study. Differing from the traditional cuboid device with the volume ratio of the cathode chamber to the anode chamber being 1:1, the volume ratio of the cathode chamber to the anode chamber of the cylinder device was 16:1. Changes in parameters, such as pH values and conductivity in the cathode and the anode chambers as well as current and voltage in the sample area were analysed under the voltage gradient of 2 V/cm. After the experiment, the average removal efficiencies for Zn, Pb, Cd and Cu in the sample area were 53.2%, 31.4%, 42.3% and 30.7%, respectively. It indicates that the cylinder device is effective in removing heavy metals from the MSWI fly ash. Adopting the cylinder device for the experimental study on the electrokinetic remediation technology could provide a better way of thinking for the future engineering practices and applications.

Characteristics of incineration ash for sustainable treatment and reutilization

Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) generates bottom ash, fly ash (FA), and air pollution control (APC) residues as by-products. FA and APC residues are considered hazardous due to the presence of soluble salts and a high concentration of heavy metals, and they should be appropriately treated before disposal. Physicochemical characterization using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) have shown that FA and APC have potential for reuse after treatment as these contain CaO, SiO₂, and Al₂O₃. Studies conducted on treatment of FA and APC are categorized into three groups: (i) separation processes, (ii) solidification/stabilization (S/S) processes, and (iii) thermal processes. Separation processes such as washing, leaching, and electrochemical treatment improve the quality and homogeneity of the ash. S/S processes such as chemical stabilization, accelerate carbonation, and cement solidification modify hazardous species into less toxic constituents. Thermal processes such as sintering, vitrification, and melting are effective at reducing volume and producing a more stable product. In this review paper, the treatment processes are analyzed in relation to ash characteristics. Issues concerning mixing FA and APC residues before treatment, true treatment costs, and challenges are also discussed to provide further insights on the implications and possibilities of utilizing FA and APC as secondary materials.

Enhanced electrokinetic remediation of manganese and ammonia nitrogen from electrolytic manganese residue using pulsed electric field in different enhancement agents

Electrolytic manganese residue (EMR) is a solid waste generated in the process of producing electrolytic metal manganese and contains a lot of manganese and ammonia nitrogen. In this study, electrokinetic remediation (EK) of manganese and ammonia nitrogen from EMR were carried out by using pulse electric field (PE) in different agents, and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), citric acid (CA) and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) were used as enhancement agents. The removal behavior of ammonia nitrogen and manganese under direct current field (DC) and PE, and the relationship between manganese fractionation and transport behavior, as well as the energy consumption were investigated. The results demonstrated that the removal efficiency of ammonia nitrogen and manganese using PE were higher than DC. SDBS, EDTA and CA could enhance electroosmosis and electromigration, and the sequence of enhancement agent effects were CA, SDBS, EDTA, distilled water. The highest removal efficiency of manganese and ammonia nitrogen were 94.74% and 88.20%, and the effective removal amount of manganese and ammonia nitrogen was 23.93 and 1.48 mg·wh^-1, when CA and SDBS+CA was used as the enhancement agents, respectively. Moreover, electromigration was the main removal mechanism of manganese and ammonia nitrogen in the EK process.

Evaluation of electrokinetics coupled with a reactive barrier of activated carbon loaded with a nanoscale zero-valent iron for selenite removal from contaminated soils

The range between dietary deficient and toxic levels for selenium is quite narrow. In this study, the synergistic effects of electrokinetics (EK) and a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) on the reductive sequestration of Se(IV) oxyanions from spiked soils were investigated in detail. Activated charcoal (AC)-supported Fe(II) and nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) were prepared as the PRB media for use in an electrolyzer. In aqueous equilibrium adsorption tests, the AC-supported nZVI medium had a higher adsorption capacity than that of the other adsorbents. The Se(IV) removal isotherms were well-fitted using the Langmuir model. The Se(IV) removal rates were accurately predicted by both pseudo-first- and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. For the coupled systems, a moderate increase in the number of PRBs and decrease in the PRB thickness in the electrolyzer enhanced the removal and catalytic recovery of Se(IV) from the spiked soil samples. A Se(VI) removal efficiency of approximately 95% and Se(VI) reduction efficiency of 90% were achieved in the optimized electrochemical system. The Se(IV) species were reduced to Se° and FeSe by the AC-supported nZVI regardless of the pH distribution. The experimental results provide guidance for the multichannel recovery of Se from abandoned ore tailings or solid wastes.

Immobilization of trace heavy metals in the electrokinetics-processed municipal solid waste incineration fly ashes and its characterizations and mechanisms

The mass production of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ashes has caused severe concerns in regarding to the inherently ecological harm and the decreasing landfilling space. To relieve the heavy metal contamination into the environment and complete a closed-loop electrokinetics (EK), the sequential effects of electrokinetics and alkali activating solidification/stabilization (S/S) technique on the immobilization of HMs in the remnant of MSWI fly ashes were investigated in the research. The compressive strength for the remnant-based solidified product at the proposing time of 18 days was 2.58 MPa, 104.76% higher than that of the MWSI-based specimen with the optimal curing parameters being adopted for the production of the solidified matrices. The leaching concentrations of Zn, Pb, and Cu were 9.74, 0.21, and 0.75 mg/L, correspondingly reduced by 57.84%, 80.19%, and 17.58%, respectively. The opposite correlation between the compressive strength and the leaching concentration was demonstrated for both two groups of the curing samples. The mechanism results showed that the electrokinetics had significantly changed the micromorphology characteristics of MSWI fly ashes and distinctly affected the whole curing process. The cementation and geo-polymerization were comprehensively determined as two of main mechanisms for the immobilization of HMs in the curing matrices.

Graphite particle electrodes that enhance the detoxification of municipal solid waste incineration fly ashes in a three-dimensional electrokinetic platform and its mechanisms

This paper investigated the application of graphite particle electrodes to the removal of Zn, Pb, Cu, and Cd from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ashes in a three-dimensional (3D) electrokinetic reactor. The influences of the voltage gradient, mass ratio of graphite powers to fly ashes, nitric acid concentrations, proposing times, and liquid-solid (L-M) ratios on the remedial efficiencies of MSWI fly ashes were comprehensively studied in an orthogonal deign and a sequential double-factor setup. Significant analysis showed that changes in the mass ratios and nitric acid concentrations both had a statistically significant effect on the removals of Zn and Pb. Proposing times and L-M ratios both remarkably affected the removals of heavy metals (HMs) in a 3D electrochemical system. The graphite powers had a narrower distribution interval and slightly larger surface areas compared with MSWI fly ashes, which relented pH gradients over the time in the electrochemical experiments and minimized the bubble barricade caused by the hydrolysis. The particle electrode had increased the residue factions of Zn, Pb, Cu, and Cd in S1 region by approximately 216%, 136%, 309%, and 950%, respectively, compared with the raw MSWI fly ashes. The addition of graphite powders to a two-dimensional (2D) electrochemical process strengthened hydrolysis reactions, shortened time for the redistribution of pH balance, decreased the tortuosity of migration path, and increased the desorption concentrations of HMs in the sample area.

Environmental perspectives of recycling various combustion ashes in cement production - A review

Recycling different types of ashes for cement production has gained increasing attentions worldwide in a bid to close the waste loop. It minimizes waste landfilling and meanwhile produces useful secondary materials with reduced costs. Ascribed to the presence of elevated metal concentrations, however, it also receives negative inclination for their reuse. Herein, recycling various combustion ashes, such as municipal solid waste incineration fly ashes (MSWI FA), municipal solid waste incineration bottom ashes (MSWI BA), coal fly ashes (CFA), coal bottom ashes (CBA), blast furnace slags (BFS), biomass ashes (BIOA), sewage sludge ashes (SSA) and different co-combustion ashes (CCA), were comprehensively reviewed, from environmental perspectives combined with statistical data analysis (e.g. bulk components, trace metals, leaching potential, and etc.), to quantitatively explore their feasibility during cement production. It was unveiled that pozzolanic contents were predominant which highly fluctuated in their composition based on the ash type, limiting the replacement at maximum of 5-10 wt%. Considering total metal criteria, heavy metal contents posed challenges as secondary raw materials for blended cements. However, in consideration of metal leaching criteria, exothermic pozzolanic reactions in the second phase of blended cement would sufficiently alleviate their leaching potential, ensuring the environmental feasibility. Apart from the above, treatment costs have to be evaluated in nexus of multiple factors, whereas government policies play significant roles in valorization of recycling ashes. From sustainability perspective, life cycle assessment promises the overall strategy on ash utilization in cement industry.