Long-term leaching from MSWI air-pollution-control residues: Leaching characterization and modeling

Long-term leaching of Ca, Fe, Mg, K, Na, S, Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, Mo, Sb, Si, Sn, Sr, Ti, V, P, Cl, and dissolved organic carbon from two different municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) air-pollution-control residues was monitored during 24 months of column percolation experiments; liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratios of 200-250 L/kg corresponding to more than 10,000 years in a conventional landfill were reached. Less than 2% of the initially present As, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, and Sb had leached during the course of the experiments. Concentrations of Cd, Fe, Mg, Hg, Mn, Ni, Co, Sn, Ti, and P were generally bellow 1 μg/L; overall less than 1% of their mass leached. Column leaching data were further used in a two-step geochemical modeling in PHREEQC in order to (i) identify solubility controlling minerals and (ii) evaluate their interactions in a water-percolated column system over L/S of 250 L/kg. Adequate predictions of pH, alkalinity, and the leaching of Ca, S, Al, Si, Ba, and Zn were obtained in a simultaneous calculation. Also, it was suggested that removal of Ca and S together with depletion of several minerals apparently caused dissolution of ettringite-like phases. In turn, significant increase in leaching of oxyanions (especially Sb and Cr) was observed at late stage of leaching experiments.