Chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, and fluoride sorption from steelwork slag eluates by different mineral additives

Abstract

Today, the environmental behavior of steelwork slags is very important for their application. When slags are used as building materials, they can interact with water and soil, with the possibility of leaching of harmful components, e.g., metals such as vanadium or anions such as fluoride. The leachable concentrations of various environmentally relevant parameters have to be below defined limit values, which are given by environmental authorities. In this study, different mineral additives have been investigated for their suitability to reduce chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, and fluoride concentrations in slag eluates, as a basis for planned investigations of the long-term leaching behavior of slag/additive mixtures. Seven mineral additives including iron oxide hydroxide, sludge from aluminum production, triple superphosphate, two water work sludges I and II, zeolite powder, and zeolite granules were tested for their efficiency to sorb trace elements and fluoride from four slag eluates comprising two basic oxygen furnace slags and two electric arc furnace slags. The limit values according to the German Alternative Construction Material Ordinance were used to verify which additives were able to minimize concentrations of trace elements and fluoride in slags eluates. Due to high eluate concentrations, the sludge from aluminum production and the triple superphosphate could be excluded from further investigations. The efficiency of the other additives follows the trend iron oxide hydroxide > water work sludges > zeolites. Particularly, the iron oxide hydroxide and the water work sludge I seem to be appropriate to enhance possible applications of slags with respect to the German regulation.