A STUDY ON LEACHATE CHARACTERISTICS GENERATED FROM WASTE FOUNDRY SAND AND ITS IMPACT ON WATER BODIES

Abstract

Metal foundry industries use sand as the major part in the metal casting process. Foundry industries are the industries which mould the metal (alloy) castings, the castings are casted by using the molten metals, which are poured into the moulds prepared by the sand (usually known as foundry sand), and here the foundry sand is subjected to the temperature which is higher than 1000oC in the moulding process. The waste sand obtained after the casting, cannot be used further and thus the Waste Foundry Sand (WFS) is removed from the foundry industry and it is known as waste foundry sand. Waste foundry sand generated from the metal foundries is indiscriminately dumped in the low lying areas of Belagavi city. Belagavi city receives high annual rainfall around 1200 mm. The WFS dumped contains the heavy metal concentrations. Leachate is generated from the WFS containing heavy metals and the heavy metals are leached from the WFS, thus the ground water is contaminated. Water samples from a lake, 5 open wells and a bore well in the Udyambag area were collected and analyzed for Physico-chemical characteristics and heavy metal concentrations. The leaching effect of the WFS is analyzed using TCLP. The leaching effect of the WFS is also studied when it is a part of pervious concrete and the heavy metal analysis is carried out. The ground water and surface water body study includes the Physico-chemical parameters like chlorides, TDS, SC, pH, turbidity, colour, odour, temperature and the heavy metals like barium, total chromium, iron, lead and manganese.