Industrial Waste By-products Research Articles

Effect of optimum compaction moisture content formulations on the strength and durability of sustainable stabilised materials

The achievement of Optimum Compaction Moisture Content (OCMC) of clay soil plays an important role in compaction as well as the durability and strength of compacted soil. This is due to its effect on the structure and orientation of the clay soil particles. Most researchers on stabilised systems involving soils and/or industrial waste by-product additives for applications in roads and buildings are faced with the problem of how to approach the establishment of OCMC, when the complex mixtures involved. This paper reports on the laboratory investigation of theoretical methods of two different approaches to establish the OCMC in the stabilisation of clay soil involving multi-binary binder in cementitious binder system. Furthermore, this research also explores the use of an industrial by-product, Pulverized Fuel Ash (PFA) as partial target material and ground granulated blastfurnace slag (GGBS), with a view to reducing the reliance on the traditional cementitious binders, such as lime and/or Portland Cement (PC), in stabilising Lower Oxford Clay (LOC) soil combining with PFA at 50:50 ratio. LOC + PFA was stabilised both in conventional manner using Lime and PC as control and using sustainable binders incorporating GGBS. The results show that there was no one particular approach to the establishment of the optimal compaction moisture content for best strength development and durability. The best approach being dependent on the period of curing, stabiliser content and whether GGBS was blended with Lime or with PC. Of the various stabilisers studied, the highest strength magnitudes were however recorded with LOC-PFA stabilised using the blended binders incorporating GGBS. For all 7, 28 and 56 days of curing periods, the PC-based stabilisers were observed to be less sensitive to the different approaches to compaction moisture content, relative to the lime-based systems.

前書 ―循環型社会の形成に向けた産業廃棄物・副産物リサイクルの現状と将来展望―

前書 ―循環型社会の形成に向けた産業廃棄物・副産物リサイクルの現状と将来展望―

Research on the use of Ferro-Chrome slag in civil engineering applications

Over recent decades there has been rapid increase in the industrial waste materials and by-products yields due to the progressive growth rate of population, development of industry and technology and the growth of consumerism. With the growing environmental pressures to reduce waste and pollution, Intensive research studies have been conducted to explore all suitable reuse methods. Wastes such as construction waste, blast furnace, steel slag, coal fly ash and bottom ash have been approved in many places as alternative materials in bridges, roads, pavements, foundations and building construction. The use of industrial solid waste as a partial replacement of raw materials in construction activities not only saves landfill space but also reduces the demand for extraction of natural raw materials. Ferrochrome slag is a by-product from the production of chrome. There are environmental and economic advantages in seeing slags as a potentially useful resource rather than as waste products. Slag management at ferrochrome producing companies has been influenced by the limited space available and financial cost implications of the slag dumps. Internationally, e.g. South Africa, India, Norway, Turkey, East Europe, China, Sweden and USA, ferrochrome slag is used commercially in the road and construction Industries. This material is being used for road construction, as aggregates in concrete industry, brick manufacturing, and in pavement construction as engineering fill and has recently been tried in cement. This paper presents an overview of the recent advances of the use of ferrochrome slag in various civil engineering applications such as road construction, and cement and concrete industries.

Research on the use of Ferro-Chrome slag in civil engineering applications

Over recent decades there has been rapid increase in the industrial waste materials and by-products yields due to the progressive growth rate of population, development of industry and technology and the growth of consumerism. With the growing environmental pressures to reduce waste and pollution, Intensive research studies have been conducted to explore all suitable reuse methods. Wastes such as construction waste, blast furnace, steel slag, coal fly ash and bottom ash have been approved in many places as alternative materials in bridges, roads, pavements, foundations and building construction. The use of industrial solid waste as a partial replacement of raw materials in construction activities not only saves landfill space but also reduces the demand for extraction of natural raw materials. Ferrochrome slag is a by-product from the production of chrome. There are environmental and economic advantages in seeing slags as a potentially useful resource rather than as waste products. Slag management at ferrochrome producing companies has been influenced by the limited space available and financial cost implications of the slag dumps. Internationally, e.g. South Africa, India, Norway, Turkey, East Europe, China, Sweden and USA, ferrochrome slag is used commercially in the road and construction Industries. This material is being used for road construction, as aggregates in concrete industry, brick manufacturing, and in pavement construction as engineering fill and has recently been tried in cement. This paper presents an overview of the recent advances of the use of ferrochrome slag in various civil engineering applications such as road construction, and cement and concrete industries.

Compressive and flexural strength of concrete containing palm oil biomass clinker and polypropylene fibres

This paper presents the effects of using palm oil biomass (POB) clinker with polypropylene (PP) fibres in concrete on its compressive and flexural strength performances. Due to infrastructural development works, the use of concrete in the construction industry has been increased. Simultaneously, it raises the demand natural sand, which causes depletion of natural resources. While considering the environmental and economic benefits, the utilization of industrial waste by-products in concrete will be the alternative solution of the problem. Among the waste products, one of such waste by-product is the palm oil biomass clinker, which is a waste product from burning processes of palm oil fibres. Therefore, it is important to utilize palm oil biomass clinker as partial replacement of fine aggregates in concrete. Considering the facts, an experimental study was conducted to find out the potential usage of palm oil fibres in concrete. In this study, total 48 number of specimens were cast to evaluate the compressive and flexural strength performances. Polypropylene fibre was added in concrete at the rate of 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6%, and sand was replaced at a constant rate of 10% with palm oil biomass clinker. The flexural strength of concrete was noticed in the range of 2.25 MPa and 2.29 MPa, whereas, the higher value of flexural strength was recorded with 0.4% polypropylene fibre addition. Hence, these results show that the strength performances of concrete containing POB clinker could be improved with the addition of polypropylene fibre.

Study of Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Removal of Phosphate from Aqueous Solution using Activated Red Mud

Red mud is the industrial waste by-product produced in alumina refineries. The red mud (RM) was activated using 1 N hydrochloric acid (hereafter referred as RMA). In the present communication, RM and RMA are used to study the kinetics and thermodynamics of effective adsorption for removal of phosphate from aqueous solution. The characterization of red mud is supported by BET, SEM, TG, DTG, XRD, and FTIR analysis. Batch experiments are carried out as a function of initial concentration, contact time, adsorbent dose and pH. It was observed that maximum adsorption capacity of phosphate (112 mg g−1 of RMA) is obtained using Langmuir adsorption isotherm in case of RMA in comparison to raw RM (56 mg g−1 of RM) at pH 2. Analysis of adsorption data indicates that the Langmuir isotherm provides a better fitting than Freundlich isotherm. Adsorption data were used to study first- and second-order kinetics and intra-particle diffusion models. Second-order kinetics is seen to be the best fitted for removal of phosphate. Thermodynamic parameters such as $$\Delta H^{0}$$ , $$\Delta S^{0}$$ and $$\Delta G^{0}$$ were obtained. Negative value of Gibbs energy suggests the spontaneity of the adsorption phenomena which is in good agreement with the negative value of entropy indicating decrease in randomness of adsorbents at the solid and liquid interface. The characterization results and separation factor (R L ) suggest that RMA and RM can be used as commercial adsorbent for removal of phosphate from aqueous solution.

Production of durable and cost effective sewer pipes using petroleum and industrial waste by-products

The Arabian Gulf environment has an adverse impact on concrete structures because of the high ambient temperature, humidity, salt contaminated dust, sea water and underground salts. As an innovative solution, reinforced modified sulfur concrete (MSC) pipes are recognized as a durable and economical solution for deterioration of pipelines. This work describes the manufacture and characterization of new MSC based on a cost effective sulfur modification process. Bitumen, a by-product from crude oil refining process was used to modify elemental sulfur and enhance its physical, mechanical properties, and mostly to increase its corrosive resistivity. The study has focused on optimizing the proportions of an offered MSC mixes that are composed of modified sulfur (MS) as a binder, crushed sand, dune sand and ladle furnace (LF) slag as aggregates, and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGFBS) as a filler. To maximize the physical and mechanical properties of MSC sewer pipes, different mixtures were prepared and investigated. The optimum mix of MSC has a maximum compressive strength of 64 MPa, maximum splitting tensile strength of 4.5 MPa, maximum flexural strength of 21 MP, with a high corrosion resistance in acidic and salty environments.

Zebrafish in Toxicology and Environmental Health.

As manufacturing processes and development of new synthetic compounds increase to keep pace with the expanding global demand, environmental health, and the effects of toxicant exposure are emerging as critical public health concerns. Additionally, chemicals that naturally occur in the environment, such as metals, have profound effects on human and animal health. Many of these compounds are in the news: lead, arsenic, and endocrine disruptors such as bisphenol A have all been widely publicized as causing disease or damage to humans and wildlife in recent years. Despite the widespread appreciation that environmental toxins can be harmful, there is limited understanding of how many toxins cause disease. Zebrafish are at the forefront of toxicology research; this system has been widely used as a tool to detect toxins in water samples and to investigate the mechanisms of action of environmental toxins and their related diseases. The benefits of zebrafish for studying vertebrate development are equally useful for studying teratogens. Here, we review how zebrafish are being used both to detect the presence of some toxins as well as to identify how environmental exposures affect human health and disease. We focus on areas where zebrafish have been most effectively used in ecotoxicology and in environmental health, including investigation of exposures to endocrine disruptors, industrial waste byproducts, and arsenic.

Review and Assessment of Waste and Wastewater Treatment from Fruits and Vegetables Processing Industries in Greece

The global fruit and vegetable processing industry is growing steadily due to the population growth, the adopted healthier eating patterns by consumers, and the advancements in supply chain management and production processes. The present study is focused on the investigation of the waste and wastewater treatment practices taking place in the Greek sector of processing and preserving fruit and vegetables through a detailed examination of eleven industrial units related to this specific industrial sector. Among these units, two were associated with tomato processing and nine with the processing of peaches and apricots. Moreover, aiming at adding value to the Greek fruits and vegetables processing sector, waste and byproducts valorisation opportunities were identified through a comprehensive literature review. Based on the recording of the existing situation in Greece, it was observed that all industrial units operate biological wastewater treatment plants mainly applying the activated sludge process. Food industrial waste by-products derived from the operation of the units were mainly given as feed (e.g. the plant residues) or exploited for the production of energy (e.g. the fruit kernels). In addition, based on literature review, it was obvious that industrial food waste valorisation comprises a research area that has attracted great deal of attention over the last years resulting in significant advancements. Considering the above, in order to add value to the Greek fruits and vegetables processing industry, waste valorisation can be considered including technologies to recover valuable compounds. However, more efforts are needed to prove that such practices can work at a commercial level and that all operational and manufacturing issues have been carefully considered.

Role of phosphogypsum and NPK amendments on the retention or leaching of metals in different soils

Column leaching tests were conducted to investigate the effects of soil physicochemical characteristics on metal mobility in the subsurface. The metals investigated originated from disposed industrial waste byproducts and from agrochemicals spread over the farmlands. Soil column tests can provide insights into leaching of metals to underlying water compartments. The findings of this study can be used for prevention strategies and for setting risk assessment approaches to land-use and management, and soil and water quality and sustainability. Soils collected from an industrial (IS) watershed and an agricultural (AQ) hydrographic basin were used in soil column leaching experiments. The soil samples were characterized for mineralogy, functional groups, grain size, surface charge, soil type, porosity, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) along with elemental composition. Varying concentrations of phosphogypsum industrial waste or agrochemical (NPK fertilizer) was then added to the surface of the packed columns (n = 28). The columns were subjected to artificial rain over a period of 65 days. Leachates were collected and analyzed for dissolved Na+, K+, and Cd2+ throughout the experimental period, whereas residual Cd content in the subsurface soil was measured at the end of the experiment. Physicochemical characterization indicated that the AQ soil has a higher potential for metal retention due to its fine clay texture, calcareous pH, high organic matter content and CEC. Metal release was more prominent in the IS soil indicating potential contamination of the surrounding soil and water compartments. The higher metal release is attributed to soil physicochemical characteristics. High calcium concentrations of phosphogypsum origin is expected to compete for adsorbed bivalent elements, such as Cd, resulting in their release. The physicochemical characteristics of the receiving media should be taken into consideration when planning land-use in order to achieve sustainable development. Soil physiochemical characteristics play a key role in determining the behavior and fate of elements upon application of amendments. Sandy soils should not be assigned to industrial zones or landfills due to their high permeability, unlike fine clay soils. Furthermore, application of fertilizers on sandy soils can threaten groundwater quality, whereas their extensive use on clayey soil can cause soil salinisation.

Mullite (3Al2O3·2SiO2) ceramics obtained by reaction sintering of rice husk ash and alumina, phase evolution, sintering and microstructure

The use of industrial waste (by-products) as raw materials in the ceramic industry has been under study for decades due to the economical, energy, tax and environmental advantages. The specificity of the waste requires a basic characterization and technology thereof.The applicability of rice husk ash (RHA), as silica (SiO2) source, in refractory and porous materials withpotential structural, insulating and/or filtering applications was carried out by characterizing the ceramicbehavior of stoichiometric mixtures of calcined alumina (Al2O3) and RHA. A reaction-sintering frameworkcan be defined in the (Al2O3–SiO2) system. The sinterability and conversion during the reaction sinteringprocesses were studied in order to obtain mullite (3Al2O3·2SiO2) ceramics. Also some microstructural fea-tures of the developed materials were studied in the 1100–1600ºC range. The mullitization was studiedquantitatively.Partial densification was achieved (30%) and highly converted materials were obtained. The developedmicrostructure consisted in a dense ceramic matrix with homogenous interconnected porosity, with anarrow pore size distribution below 20 μm. The developed material gives enough information for design-ing mullite ceramics materials with either porous or dense microstructures with structural, insulating orfiltering applications employing RHA as silica source and calcined alumina as the only other raw material.

Influence of Industrial Waste By-Products in Fortifying Concrete Matrix in Tandem with Longevity

From the two basic points of view viz., the prospects and perspectives of partial material substitution and an eco friendly improvisation of concrete's cement matrix, the effects of impregnating Fly ash & GGBS were investigated. The mechanical properties such as the compressive strength and flexural strength after 3,7&28 days of curing were test verified and compared with those of conventional concrete Besides, the corrosion resistances of conventional concrete and that of the improvised concrete were also studied for comparison and optimization of the proportions of Fly ash and GGBS for partially replacing cement. Inasmuch as the partial replacement of cement with fly ash is already in vogue in a satisfactory range of 3% to 15%, at the initialization stage the proportion of GGBS was experimented upon and frozen at a value of 22.5%. Then further experimentation could fortify that for this 22.5% GGBS the most optimal complementary proportion of Fly ash was reckoned at 9%, keeping up the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of improvised concrete on par with the conventional concrete.

Biodiesel exhaust treatment with dielectric barrier discharges coupled with industrial waste byproducts

Biodiesel run engines are gaining popularity since the last few years as a viable alternative to conventional petro-diesel based engines. In biodiesel exhaust the content of volatile organic compounds, oil mist, and mass of particulate matter is considerably lower. However, the concentration of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) is relatively higher. In this paper the biodiesel exhaust from a stationary engine is treated under controlled laboratory conditions for removal of NOx using dielectric barrier discharge plasma in cascade with adsorbents prepared from abundantly available industrial waste byproducts like red mud and copper slag. Results were compared with gammaalumina, a commercial adsorbent. Two different dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactors were tested for their effectiveness under Repetitive pulses /AC energization. NOx removal as high as 80% was achieved with pulse energized reactors when cascaded with red mud as adsorbent.

Mineral-Inspired, Nanostructured Polyanion Materials for Rechargeable Battery Electrodes

Polyanion materials are promising candidates for new rechargeable battery electrodes due to their good capacity, operation voltage, safety characteristics, as well as low cost. A family of materials based on metal hydroxysulfate or hydroxyphosphate naturally occurring minerals offers the possibility for improved performance as cathode materials due to the following characteristics: (1) open framework or layered structures that can facilitate fast Li+ insertion, (2) flexibility in alkali and transition metal cation incorporation as observed in nature, which can allow for the design of solid-solutions to enhance structural stability, capacity, and reaction potentials, and (3) possibility for multi-electron redox reactions, which can result in capacities >200 mAh/g. This presentation will introduce our investigation into nanostructured brochantite and jarosite minerals for use as electrodes in Li-ion and Na-ion batteries. The electrochemical properties of brochantite, Cu4(OH)6SO4, a natural mineral and patina constituent on the Statue of Liberty, were investigated. Nanostructured brochantite was synthesized using precipitation and microwave-assisted hydrothermal reactions and evaluated in half-cells with Li metal counter electrodes. Reversible capacities >400 mAh/g corresponding to the 2 electron reduction of Cu2+ and discharge potential of 1.8 V versus Li/Li+ were observed in brochantite with a nanoplate morphology. The electrochemical properties of the jarosite and V3+ jarosite analogue compounds, MN3(SO4)2(OH)6, where M=K, Na and N=Fe, V, were also investigated. A common industrial mining waste byproduct and naturally occurring mineral on Earth and Mars, the jarosite structure can accommodate many different cations and may serve as a good starting point for developing cathodes for batteries beyond Li-ion. Microstructured jarosites were synthesized using microwave-assisted hydrothermal reaction and the electrochemical characteristic were evaluated in half-cells with Li and Na metal. Detailed characterization using X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was performed to better understand the structural changes and reaction mechanisms in both brochantite and jarosite systems. Reference: R. Zhao, T. Yang, M.A. Miller, C.K. Chan, Nano Lett., 13, 6055 – 6063 (2013).

Discharge Plasma Combined With Bauxite Residue for Biodiesel Exhaust Cleaning: A Case Study on NO<sub><italic>x</italic></sub> Removal

Experiments were conducted at laboratory level to treat the oxides of nitrogen (NO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">x</sub> ) present in raw and dry biodiesel exhaust utilizing a combination of electric discharge plasma and bauxite residue, i.e., red mud, an industrial waste byproduct from the aluminum industry. In this paper, the adsorption and a possible catalytic property of bauxite residue are discussed. Nonthermal plasma was generated using dielectric barrier discharges initiated by ac/repetitive pulse energization. The effect of corona electrodes on the plasma generation was qualitatively studied through NO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">x</sub> cleaning. The plasma reactor and adsorbent reactors were connected in cascade while treating the exhaust. The diesel generator, running on biodiesel fuel, was electrically loaded to study the effectiveness of the cascade system in cleaning the exhaust. Interestingly, under the laboratory conditions studied, plasma-bauxite residue combination has shown good synergistic properties and enhanced the NO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">x</sub> removal up to about 90%. With proper scaling up, the suggested cascade system may become an economically feasible option to treat the exhaust in larger installations. The results were discussed emphasizing the role of bauxite residue as an adsorbent and as a room temperature catalyst.

Study of a molten carbonate fuel cell combined heat, hydrogen and power system

To address the problem of fossil fuel usage and high greenhouse gas emissions at the Missouri University of Science and Technology campus, using of alternative fuels and renewable energy sources can lower energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Biogas, produced by anaerobic digestion of wastewater, organic waste, agricultural waste, industrial waste, and animal by-products is a potential source of renewable energy. In this work, we have discussed the design of CHHP (combined heat, hydrogen and power) system for the campus using local resources. An energy flow and resource availability study is performed to identify the type and source of feedstock required to continuously run the fuel cell system at peak capacity. Following the resource assessment study, the team selects FuelCell Energy DFC (direct fuel cell) 1500™ unit as a molten carbonate fuel cell. The CHHP system provides electricity to power the university campus, thermal energy for heating the anaerobic digester, and hydrogen for transportation, back-up power and other needs. In conclusion, the CHHP system will be able to reduce fossil fuel usage, and greenhouse gas emissions at the university campus.

Hydrogen production and End-Uses from combined heat, hydrogen and power system by using local resources

To address the problem of fossil fuel usage at the Missouri University of Science and Technology campus, using of alternative fuels and renewable energy sources can lower energy consumption and hydrogen use. Biogas, produced by anaerobic digestion of wastewater, organic waste, agricultural waste, industrial waste, and animal by-products is a potential source of renewable energy. In this work, we have discussed Hydrogen production and End-Uses from CHHP system for the campus using local resources. Following the resource assessment study, the team selects FuelCell Energy DFC1500™ unit as a molten carbonate fuel cell to study of combined heat, hydrogen and power (CHHP) system based on a molten carbonate fuel cell fed by biogas produced by anaerobic digestion. The CHHP system provides approximately 650 kg/day. The total hydrogen usage 123 kg/day on the university campus including personal transportation applications, backup power applications, portable power applications, and other mobility applications are 56, 16, 29, 17, and 5 respectively. The excess hydrogen could be sold to a gas retailer. In conclusion, the CHHP system will be able to reduce fossil fuel usage, greenhouse gas emissions and hydrogen generated is used to power different applications on the university campus.

Study of combined heat, hydrogen and power system based on a molten carbonate fuel cell fed by biogas produced by anaerobic digestion

To address the problem of fossil fuel usage and high greenhouse gas emissions at the Missouri University of Science and Technology campus, using of alternative fuels and renewable energy sources can lower energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Biogas, produced by anaerobic digestion of wastewater, organic waste, agricultural waste, industrial waste, and animal by-products is a potential source of renewable energy. In this work, we have discussed the design of CHHP system for the campus using local resources. An energy flow and resource availability study is performed to identify the type and source of feedstock required to continuously run the fuel cell system at peak capacity. Following the resource assessment study, the team selects FuelCell Energy DFC1500TM unit as a MCFC. The CHHP system provides electricity to power the university campus, thermal energy for heating the anaerobic digester, and hydrogen for transportation, back-up power and other needs. In conclusion, the CHHP system will be able to reduce fossil fuel usage, and greenhouse gas emissions at the university campus.

Neutralization/purification of the wastewaters from printed circuit boards production using waste by-products

The purpose of this work was development of a new method for the neutralization/purification of printed circuit boards wastewater (PCBW) originating from Zagreb, Croatia, using two industrial by-products. PCBW was characterized with low pH value (2.11) and high concentration of TDS (50190 mg L−1), copper (4190 mg L−1) and iron (2660 mg L−1). Waste base (WB), by-product of the alumina production, and waste sludge, by-product of the electrochemical treatment of groundwater, were employed as neutralization/adsorption agents. Due to its high neutralization capacity WB was used for pH adjustment to pH 8 and heavy metals removal from both effluents, yet the final removal of the contaminants down to the regulated values was assessed by adsorption/coagulation with the iron and aluminum rich waste sludge. Following the combined treatment the removal efficiency of iron and copper was higher than 99.99% with their final concentration in the treated water of 0.151 mg L−1 and 0.129 mg L−1, respectively. Following the ozone base oxidation the removal efficiency of the organic contaminants was more than 83%. The successful application of the industrial waste by-products for neutralization/purification of the PCBW with the removal efficiencies of the contaminants comparable or better than those obtained with conventional treatment represented the main advantage of our presented method.

Research Progress on Preparation Technology of Calcium Sulfate

Calcium sulfate is an important inorganic chemical products which is widely used in construction, pharmaceutical and food industries. Especially, calcium sulfate whisker with fibrous structure developed in recent years is further used in rubber, coating, plastic, adhesives, textile, papermaking, and many other industries due to its superior performance and characteristics of environmental protection and nontoxic.The paper reviewed the preparation technology of calcium sulfate according to the different raw materials, especially for industrial waste (by-product).