Air Pollution Control Residues Research Articles

Unveiling Trends and Hotspots in Air Pollution Control: A Bibliometric Analysis

With the continuous acceleration of urbanization, air pollution has become an increasingly serious threat to public health. Strengthening the detection and control of pollutants has become a focal point in current society. In light of the increasing amount of literature in the field of air pollution control with every passing year, numerous reviews have been compiled; however, only a limited number employ bibliometric methods to comprehensively review and summarize research trends in this field. Herein, this study utilizes two bibliometric analysis tools, namely, CiteSpace (6.1.R6) and VOSviewer (1.6.20), to conduct a visual and comprehensive analysis of air pollution literature spanning 2000 to 2023. By doing so, it establishes a knowledge framework for research on air pollution control. Simultaneously, collaborative network analysis, reference co-citation network analysis, keyword co-occurrence network analysis, and keyword prominence are employed to undertake an exhaustive and profound visual examination within this domain. Results indicate that, over time, the number of relevant papers has exponentially increased, while interdisciplinary cooperation trends have gradually formed. Additionally, this study describes key areas of current research, including air pollution control residue treatment, regional joint air pollution control, and air pollution control mechanism analysis. Finally, challenges faced by researchers in this field and their different perspectives are discussed. To better integrate research findings on air pollution control, we explore the correlations among data and systematically present their developmental trends. This confirms the interdisciplinary nature of air pollution control research, in the hope of its guiding air pollution control in the future.

Migration of trace elements and radioisotopes to various fractions of solid wastes generated as a result of the sewage sludge incineration process

The research was aimed at providing new knowledge in the field of chemical characteristics of solid waste generated in the process of combustion of sewage sludge in fluidized bed furnaces. The research material consisted of disposed fluidized beds (DFB), sewage sludge ash (SSA) and air pollution control residues (APC) from three Polish installations for the thermal treatment of sewage sludge. Natural radionuclides as well as anthropogenic isotope 137Cs were determined in the tested materials and the migration of a wide spectrum of trace elements to various waste fractions generated in the process of sewage sludge combustion was examined. It was observed that both radioisotopes and most of the trace elements determined accumulate in SSA and DFB, while the APC fraction contains a much smaller amount of them. The exceptions are mercury and selenium, whose volatile compounds migrate to the exhaust gas dedusting system and accumulate in the APC fraction (up to 40 mg/kg and 13 mg/kg, respectively). A potential threat from the 226Ra isotope in SSA is identified in the context of the management of this waste in the production of building materials because the typical activity of 226Ra in SSA collected from areas with very low Ra content in natural environment exceeds 1.5–6 times the activity of this isotope in conventional cement mixtures. When managing SSA and DFB, special attention should be paid to the content of metalloids such as As, B and Se, due to the high content of mobile forms of these elements in the mentioned materials.

The effect of nano-silica and silica fume on the sodium carbonate-activated slag system containing air pollution control residues

The utilization of municipal solid waste incineration residues in alkali-activated granulated ground blast furnace slag (GGBFS) has garnered substantial interest for its potential in sustainable solid waste management and achieving a low-carbon footprint. However, incorporating these residues often leads to the deterioration of mechanical properties. This study revealed the role of silica fume (SF) and nano-silica (NS) derived from olivine within a sodium carbonate-activated GGBFS system incorporating air pollution control (APC) residues. The dosage of silica additives and APC residues ranges from 0 − 6 wt% and 0–15 wt%, respectively. The mechanical properties, reaction kinetics, phase composition, microstructure and carbonation resistance of the blended binder were investigated. Results indicated that SF slightly improved the early compressive strength with the formation of C-(A)-S-H gel (Ca/Si = 1.47, Al/Si = 0.23), hemicarboaluminate and hydrotalcite; reactive NS retarded the activation of GGBFS and inhibited the formation of hemicarboaluminate and hydrotalcite, while promoting the formation of C-A-S-H gel (Ca/Si = 1.01, Al/Si = 0.23), resulting in an impressive 80.3 % enhancement in compressive strength. Notably, NS-modified samples exhibited decreased carbonation resistance due to increased porosity and C-(A)-S-H gels that are vulnerable to carbonation. Conversely, 2 % SF addition decreased the diffusion rate of CO2, and APC residues improved the carbonation resistance by facilitating the formation of C-(A)-S-H gel with a higher Ca/Si ratio. This study provided an alternative management practice for APC residues with favorable early strength development and offered new insights into using silica additives to enhance waste-combined alkali-activated materials.

Sulfuric acid resistance behaviour of alkali-activated slag and waste glass powder blended precursors

The acid resistance of cementitious materials is an important property when exposed to aggressive acidic environments. In this study, the waste glass powder (GP) and slag as precursors were activated by alkali (Na or K)-silicates or by a combination of (Na or K)-silicates with air pollution control (APC) residues to produce alkali-activated materials (AAMs) and alkali/sulfate-activated materials (ASAMs). The compressive strength and volume change of the AAMs and ASAMs mortar were performed to understand the influence of sulfuric acid attack on the resulting performances. Meanwhile, the microstructure and micro-mechanics evolution were investigated by the nanoindentation technology. The results showed that the compressive strengths of all AAMs and ASAMs mortar decreased under a low pH solution. The Na- and K-AAMs mortar exposed to the acid solution shrank considerably even though a large amount of gypsum formed, while the Na- and K-ASAMs exhibited certain expansion behavior due to the existing sodium sulfate. Upon the sulfuric acid attack, the framework changes of the K-A-S-H/N-A-S-K caused by dealumination had less effect on the integrity than the dealumination and decalcification of the C(-A)-S-H gel. In comparing the alkali cations, the K-type activator impacted more positively than the Na-type activator for the performance development of the AAMs and ASAMs under the sulfuric acid attack. Moreover, the AAMs and ASAMs showed a buffering capacity of acid. This work provides a scientific reference value for applying the AAMs and ASAMs in real environments.

Factors affecting the durability of dimethyl dithiocarbamate-stabilized air pollution control (APC) residues derived from municipal solid waste incineration

Sodium dimethyl dithiocarbamate (SDD) is widely used for stabilizing heavy metals to minimize pollution from air pollution control (APC) residues derived from municipal solid waste incineration. However, the effect of environmental conditions on heavy metal leaching from SDD-stabilized APC residues remains unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the durability of SDD-stabilized APC residues and determine the relationship between heavy metal leaching and environmental factors, including pH, temperature, and oxygen. The results revealed that accelerated SDD decomposition and the decline in durability of SDD-stabilized APC residues were caused by acidic and aerated conditions and temperatures above 40 °C. A decrease in pH from 12.25 to 4.69 increased the Cd and Pb concentrations in SDD-stabilized APC residue leachate from below detection (0.002 mg/L) to 1.32 mg/L and 0.04 mg/L to 3.79 mg/L, respectively. Heating at 100 °C for 2 d increased the Cd and Pb concentrations from below detection (0.002 mg/L and 0.01 mg/L) to 2.96 mg/L and 0.47 mg/L, respectively. Aeration for 5 d increased the Cd and Pb concentrations from below detection to 0.09 mg/L and 0.49 mg/L, respectively. The decline in durability was attributed to acid hydrolysis, thermal decomposition, and oxidative damage of SDD, resulting in breakage of the chelated sulfur-metal bond, which was confirmed by the decrease in the oxidizable fraction of heavy metals and the SDD content. This study improves the understanding of the factors contributing to the decline in durability of heavy metals in SDD-stabilized APC residues, which is important for ensuring the long-term stabilization and environmental safety of these residues.

A multiscale study on gel composition of hybrid alkali-activated materials partially utilizing air pollution control residue as an activator

This paper provides a detailed underlying mechanism of gel composition of hybrid alkali-activated fly ash/slag (AAFS) pastes prepared by utilizing the air pollution control residue (APCr, a highly alkaline waste containing 38.3% of Na2O content by mass) as a partial replacement (8%, 16% and 24% replacement by mass) of energy-intensive commercial sodium silicate (CSS) activator. AAFS pastes containing APCr as a partial replacement of CSS showed the strength, micromechanical and microstructure properties equivalent to the reference AAFS paste without APCr (R-0). SEM-EDS, FTIR spectral subtraction, and nanoindentation results showed that reaction products in AAFS pastes were composed of geopolymer gel (N-A-S-H), cross-linked gel (C–N-A-S-H) and alkali-activated gel (C-A-S-H) contributing to 60–66% of paste volume. Reaction products were more dominated by calcium-rich gels (C-A-S-H or C-(N)-A-S-H) as compared to N-A-S-H gel in all AAFS pastes. The heat of hydration and thermogravimetric results confirmed the slow rate of reaction of APCr-AAFS pastes at the early age but a higher rate of reaction at the silater stage which contributed to achieve a similar strength as control paste (R-0).

Systematic study of the formation and chemical/mineral composition of waste-to-energy (WTE) fly ash

Waste-to-Energy (WTE) power plants combust post-recycling municipal solid waste (MSW). WTE fly ash (FA) is the air pollution control (APC) residue and is classified as hazardous waste. A systematic study was conducted on the formation, chemical/mineral composition of FA, and the leachability of heavy metals. The impacts of two moisture conditions on FA were examined: high-moisture process (semi-dry scrubbing in high water environment; water was added in the ash processing stream), and low-moisture process (spray dryer and circulating dry scrubbing; with no water addition in the ash processing stream). A methodology was established that included the formation of FA particles from two sources (furnace and formed in the scrubber of the APC system) and estimated the empirical formulae for the FA constituents, based on the chemical composition (ICP, XRF, ion chromatography, TGA) and XRD quantification. The dominant species are CaO (40%), Cl (15%), SO3 (8%), CO2 (8%). The crystalline phases (45–50%) consisted of: hydroxides (<0.5%), carbonates (5–16%), chloride salts (∼14–17%), sulfates (6–11%), sulfides (<2%), aluminates (2–11%), and silicates (5–6%), with 50–55% of amorphous phases. High-moisture (20–30%) process was found to be more attractive because it increases the formation of more stable crystalline hydrates (e.g., ettringite) and amorphous C–S–H phases. The effects of eluate pH on heavy metals leachability were determined using the Leaching Environmental Assessment Framework (LEAF Method 1313-pH) and the effects regarding the RCRA standard were established by applying the TCLP procedure.

Utilization of contaminated air pollution control residues generated from sewage sludge incinerator for the preparation of alkali-activated materials

The air pollution control (APC) residues from the sewage sludge incinerators are harmful to the environment due to their relatively rich soluble salts and heavy metal content. In this paper, the APC residues were pre-treated by water washing at the different liquid to solid ratios (L/S), and a ternary contour diagram was introduced to optimize the composition of slag, waste glass powders and APC residues in alkali-activated materials (AAMs). The result showed that the washing method could remove sulfate of APC residues, while the heavy metals and chloride required a higher L/S ratio to achieve a higher removal rate. Incorporation of the APC residues reduced the compressive strength of AAMs mortar, but the AAMs prepared with the washed APC residues showed a higher compressive strength than the unwashed APC residues. The sulfate from the unwashed APC residues can be used as an activator to improve the drying shrinkage of the AAMs due to the formation of ettringite, while the washed APC residues can be used as a precursor of the AAMs due to the rich aluminosilicate content. The leaching test results indicated that up to 30% washed APC residues incorporated into AAMs showed little leaching of heavy metals. On the contrary, when more than 10% unwashed APC residues are used, the pre-treatment is necessary before they can be utilized for preparing AAMs due to the leaching of heavy metals.

Fly ash-based waste for ex-situ landfill stabilization of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS)-contaminated soil

In response to world-wide soil and groundwater contamination per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), stakeholders require immediate mitigation. Soil deposition in landfill is a common mitigation scheme, but PFAS losses occur via landfill leachate. These leaching losses can be reduced by strategically utilizing other deposited waste materials for ex-situ contaminant stabilization. This screening study tested activated carbon (AC) and eight types of wastes (compost, rubber granulate, bentonite clay, industrial sludge, incineration slag, incineration bottom ash (n=4), incineration fly ash-based air pollution control residue (FA-APC) (n=16)) in amending (adding 4%, 5%, 10% or 25% sorbent) field-contaminated (n=19) and PFAS-fortified (n=11) soils. A subset of FA-based residue types, all originating from grate-fire incineration (G-F-I) plants, achieved extraordinarily high removal of PFAS. The removal was up to 98% (25% addition) of the sum of six dominant PFAS for field-contaminated soil and >99% of the sum of 11 PFAS for fortified soil (10/25% addition) (>99.9% for PFOS). Calculated partitioning coefficient revealed significant trends between sorption strength and perfluorocarbon chain length (0.21-0.47 log units per CF2-moiety), indicating high importance of hydrophobic sorption (R2>0.98). However, with incremental G-F-I FA-APC addition this relationship disappeared, indicating an alternative sorption mechanism. The exceptional PFAS sorption by G-F-I FA-APC was not explained by G-F-I surface area, surface charge, soil mineral- and metal composition, or solution DOC, metal, or ion composition (H+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Al3+ and Ba2+). Although the mechanism remains unknown, this study showed that landfill sites can utilize G-F-I FA-APC for ex-situ stabilization at negative cost, thus preventing PFAS-containing leachate.

Utilization of APC residues from sewage sludge incineration process as activator of alkali-activated slag/glass powder material

In this paper, the soluble salts from the air pollution control (APC) residues of a sewage sludge incinerator and solid sodium silicate were used as a hybrid activator to prepare alkali-activated materials (AAMs) using slag and waste glass powder (GP) as the precursors. The effect of the hybrid activator on the mechanical properties and its reaction mechanism was discussed. The experimental results showed that the APC residues obviously decreased the early compressive strength of the AAMs due to its lower activity, but a steady growth of later compressive strength was achieved due to the dense microstructure. The alkali-activated slag and GP/slag suffered from severe drying shrinkage, but the drying shrinkage of the AAMs reduced by 30%–50% when the 20% APC residues were added. In addition, when the APC residues and GP was used, the insufficient aluminum and calcium contents restrained the formation of the C-(A)-S-H gels in the alkali-activated GP/slag, and the N-(C)-A-S-H gels were formed until the available Ca was exhausted. Some crystalline materials including the ettringite, hydrotalcite, albite and Friedel's salts were detected in the alkali-activated slag/GP after the incorporation of the APC residues in addition to the N–S–H gels.

Life cycle assessment of air-pollution-control residues from waste incineration in Europe: Importance of composition, technology and long-term leaching

Air pollution control residues (APCr) are hazardous materials generated from municipal solid waste incineration and require appropriate management. This life cycle assessment (LCA) study investigates the environmental impacts of current and alternative management options, considering the possibility of a cascading management of APCr, where one treatment technology is followed by another. In total, 14 base case scenarios and 30 sensitivity scenarios were evaluated. The effects of APCr composition, leaching, time horizon, and uncertainties were investigated. The APCr management options with the lowest environmental impacts and the smallest uncertainties were i) backfilling of underground salt mines and ii) neutralization treatment followed by backfilling (Langøya, Norway). These options were followed by iii) scenarios that included Zn extraction, iv) cement stabilization of fresh APCr followed by landfilling and v) production of cement aggregates made from carbonated APCr followed by their utilization in construction works. Recovery of salts from APCr required further performance optimizations before being environmentally competitive with other options. Long-term leaching emissions of Zn, Cr and As were among the largest contributors to toxicity-related impacts, emphasizing the need for management strategies that minimize their leaching. The investigated scenarios demonstrate that increased “processing” and cascading utilization of the residues, contribute with increased uncertainty of the results compared to landfilling and may not necessarily lead to decreased environmental impacts. LCA studies of APCr management should address the full management chain, rather than just the first treatment. Overall, the results of this study were found robust, also considering potential changes in the surrounding energy system.

Pulsed stirring for energy efficiency improvements during electrodialytic extraction of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn from municipal solid waste incineration fly ash and air pollution control residue

Recycling valuable elements from municipal solid waste incineration fly ash and air pollution control (APC) residue has become the focus of research to manage this kind of residual waste. This paper assesses the possibility of energy savings to increase the economic sustainability of the electrodialytic (ED) recovery process by using pulsed stirring during extraction of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn from fly ash and APC residue suspensions and analyzing the data with multivariate statistical methods. Fly ash and APC residue in different batches were ED treated using different stirring frequencies of the ash suspensions, i.e., manually, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% (constant) stirring. An automatic camera was used to record the effect of pulsed stirring on the distribution of the ash suspensions during ED treatment and revealed three stages of the ash suspension during ED treatment that was presented in a conceptual model. The results showed that applying both pulsed and constant stirring could increase the acidification, the redox potential of ash suspensions, and the contact between ash particles and H+, thus boosting the extraction of metals. The regression coefficients and variable influence on projection values based on partial least squares models show similarity between 50% stirring and 100% stirring, indicating that it is possible to save energy by applying the stirrer only 50% of the time for all ashes, without compromising the extraction of the metals.

Upcycling of air pollution control residue waste into cementitious product through geopolymerization technology

This study explores the possibility of using geopolymerization technology (GT) to immobilize the potentially toxic elements (PTEs, e.g., Zn, Cu, Cr, As) in the APCr and convert it into useful cementitious product. To maximize its recycling, the amount of APCr in the designed product was increased gradually from 20% to 80% by the total solid mass. Leaching test showed that GT can effectively immobilize the PTEs in the APCr solidified samples without any health and environmental concerns. The compressive strength of samples can exceed 18 MPa at 28 days at a highest amount of 80% APCr through GT. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results showed that solidified samples underwent mass loss due to evaporation of free and physically bound water at low temperatures (<200°C) and melting and evaporation of soluble salts in APCr at high temperatures (>800°C). Characterization of solidified samples conducted through the X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy-Energy dispersive analysis (SEM) revealed the formation of C-A-S-H and N-A-S-H gels in solidified bodies and verified that APCr was successfully solidified and embedded into the geopolymer network structure

Optimization for enhanced electrokinetic treatment of air pollution control residues using response surface methodology focusing on heavy metals leaching risk and extractability

Waste like air pollution control (APC) residues from incineration are potentially valuable resources. This paper reports the application of enhanced electrokinetic (EK) treatment processing to APC residues using an approaching anode coupled with a permeable reactive barrier (PRB). The changes of heavy metals (HMs) leaching risk and the effect of EK on metals extractability were explored for the possibilities of treated APC residues and metals recovery. The impact of various factors on HMs leaching was evaluated through response surface experiments. The adsorption ability of PRB and H+ provided by approaching anode could alleviate HMs accumulation during treatment caused by high pH and buffer capacity. Compared with conventional EK treatment, the HMs extraction and leaching reduction improved significantly, with more than 30% energy saved after enhanced EK treatment. The best HMs leaching reduction was obtained after 16 days treatment at 1.97 V/cm of voltage gradient with 14.64 g modified activated carbon used as PRB while the anode was moved after 6.35 days. The results showed fraction conversions could increase the extractability of HMs with the electric field application, and the environmental risk of remaining HMs was reduced through the effective removal of HMs with potential risk after enhanced EK treatment.

Municipal solid waste incineration residues recycled for typical construction materials-a review.

Focusing on the great potential of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) residues in the construction sector, the applications of recycling MSWI residues in construction materials are discussed in this review. Incineration is a promising method for managing the great quantity of municipal solid waste (MSW). Careful handling of incineration residues including fly ash, air pollution control (APC) residues, and bottom ash is required for this approach. The yield of these residues is large, and they contain many toxic and harmful substances. On the other hand, these residues contain valuable components such as SiO2, CaO, Al2O3, MgO, which are important components of building materials. Therefore, MSWI residues present huge opportunities for potential recycling and reuse in the construction and building industry. This paper summarized and discussed the application of MSWI residues in four typical building materials including cast stone, glass-ceramic, cement, and concrete. Before utilization, three types of pretreatment methods can be used to reduce the toxicity of the residues and improve the performance of the products. In addition, the current issues and the prospects of this field, and the environmental impacts of this application were discussed. It was concluded that MSWI residues can be used to prepare building materials after proper treatment which can improve the mechanical and chemical properties of the residues. The recycling can gain significant economic and environmental benefits at the same time. However, further researches on treatment methods for fine particles are needed.

Impact of diatomite addition on lead immobilization in air pollution control residues from a municipal solid waste incinerator

Air pollution control (APC) residues, which are known to be the byproducts of incineration treatment, exhibit a high leaching potential of toxic metals. Calcium silicate hydrate (C-S–H), which is a major hydration product of hardened cement and immobilizes toxic metal, can be formed by the reaction of Ca with pozzolanic Si in a highly alkaline environment. Toxic metals might be immobilized by the addition of pozzolanic material to APC residues (instead of using cement), which is a Ca source and provides an alkaline condition. In this study, diatomite, which mainly comprises amorphous silica (SiO2·nH2O), was investigated as a pozzolanic material for Pb immobilization in APC residues obtained from a municipal solid waste incinerator. APC residues were cured with and without the addition of diatomite at different temperatures. When diatomite was added to APC residues, pozzolanic phases such as C-S–H gel were formed via the consumption of Ca(OH)2 and CaClOH. Compared to APC residues cured without diatomite, the leaching of Pb decreased by 99% for APC residues cured for 14 days with 10% diatomite at 70 °C. The results of sequential chemical extraction showed that water-soluble Pb in APC residues was reduced from 10.3% to nearly zero by the pozzolanic reaction. Consequently, the leaching amount of Pb dropped below 0.3 mg/L (Japanese criteria for landfill disposal). Overall, these experiments provide promising results regarding the possibility of using diatomite for pretreating APC residues.

Impact of electrodialytic remediation of MSWI fly ash on hydration and mechanical properties of blends with Portland cement

Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) residues such as fly ash and air pollution control (APC) residues may serve as new supplementary cementitious materials (SCM). These SCMs may, however, require a pre-treatment to improve material properties. This study investigates the impact of electrodialytically remediated (EDR) MSWI residues to remove heavy metals and salts, on the phase development, setting, and compressive strength development of composite cements with 10 wt% cement replacement, compared to inert quartz or untreated (raw) MSWI residues. All treated MSWI residues showed reactivity in mortar, resulting in higher compressive strength than inert quartz, attributed to additional ettringite and monocarbonate formation. The results indicate that electrodialytical remediation improves the performance of MSWI fly ash in blends with Portland cement, while MSWI APC residues might be used without pre-treatment.

Repercussions of clinical waste co-incineration in municipal solid waste incinerator during COVID-19 pandemic

During coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the exponential increase in clinical waste (CW) generation has caused immense burden to CW treatment facilities. Co-incineration of CW in municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) is an emergency treatment method. A material flow model was developed to estimate the change in feedstock characteristics and resulting acid gas emission under different CW co-incineration ratios. The ash contents and lower heating values of the feedstocks, as well as HCl concentrations in flue gas showed an upward trend. Subsequently, 72 incineration residue samples were collected from a MSWI performing co-incineration (CW ratio <10 wt%) in Wuhan city, China, followed by 20 incineration residues samples from waste that were not co-incineration. The results showed that the contents of major elements and non-volatile heavy metals in the air pollution control residues increased during co-incineration but were within the reported ranges, whereas those in the bottom ashes revealed no significant changes. The impact of CW co-incineration at a ratio <10 wt% on the distribution of elements in the incineration residues was not significant. However, increase in alkali metals and HCl in flue gas may cause potential boiler corrosion. These results provide valuable insights into pollution control in MSWI during pandemic.

Assessment of Ecotoxicity of Incinerated Sewage Sludge Ash (ISSA)

Combustion in fluidised bed boilers is one of the most commonly used methods of treatment of municipal sewage sludge. Fly ash (FA) and air pollution control (APC) residues are the solid by-products generated by flue gas treatment. There are significant differences in the chemical composition of these wastes. FA is composed of mainly SiO2, P2O5, CaO and metals such as Zn, Ti, Cu, Cr, Pb and Ni. APC residues mainly contain SO3 and Na2O. The leachability tests that were carried out indicate that these wastes display very low leachability of heavy metals (for example leachability of Pb was equal 0.0004 mg·dm−3 in both wastes, leachability of Cd was equal 0.0012 mg·dm−3 in FA an 0.00004 mg·dm−3 in APC). On the other hand, very high sulphate concentrations (49,375 mg·dm−3) were found in water extract for the APC residues. In order to determine the toxicity of these wastes for plants, pot experiments with different additions of waste to the soil were carried out (on Lepidium sativum and Sinapis alba). Tests based on seeds germinations (on Lepidium sativum) in water extracts from waste (in different concentrations) were also performed. The results obtained indicate the very high toxicity of APC residues. Complete inhibition of germination and growth of the test plants was found for all concentrations of the tested waste in water extract and for all additions of waste to the soil in pot experiments. Seed germination tests on water extracts from FA did not show any toxicity of this waste. Pot tests with FA showed their toxicity only with a high (30%) addition in soil.

Comparison of trace element mobility from MSWI ash before and after plasma vitrification.

A common perception of plasma arc treatment systems for municipal solid waste incineration ash is that the resulting vitrified slag is inert from an environmental perspective. Research was conducted to examine this hypothesis and to assess whether reduced pollutant release results from pollutant depletion during the process of the ash with plasma, or encapsulation in the glassy vitrified matrix. The concentrations of four discrete municipal solid waste incineration ash samples before and after plasma arc vitrification in a bench-scale unit were compared. Slag and untreated ash samples were leached using several standardized approaches and mobility among the four metals of interest (e.g. As, Cd, Pb and Sb) varied across samples, but was generally high (as high as 100% for Cd). Comparison across methods did not indicate substantial encapsulation in the vitrified slag, which suggests that reduced pollutant release from plasma arc vitrified slag is due to pollutant depletion by volatilization, not encapsulation. This has significant implications for the management of air pollution control residues from waste-to-energy facilities using plasma arc vitrification.