Leachate formation and characteristics from gasification and grate incineration bottom ash under landfill conditions

Characteristics and formation of leachates from waste gasification and grate firing bottom ash were studied using continuous field measurements from 112 m³ lysimeters embedded into landfill body for three years. In addition, the total element concentrations of the fresh ash were analysed and laboratory batch tests were performed to study leachate composition. The three-year continuous flow measurement showed that about one fifth of the leachates were formed, when the flow rate was >200 l/d, covering <3.5% of the study time. After three years, the liquid/solid-ratio for the quenched grate ash was 1 (l/kg (d.m.)) and for the initially dry gasification ash 0.4 (l/kg (d.m.)). The low initial water and residual carbon content of the gasification ash kept the leachate pH at a high level (>13) major part of the study. In the grate ash leachate pH was lower (<8) due to the presence of organic carbon and biodegradation indicated by biological oxygen demand and redox potential measurements. In the gasification ash the high pH probably delayed leaching of major elements such as Ca, therefore, raising the need for a longer after-care period. The high pH also explains the higher leaching of As from the gasification ash compared to the grate ash both in the batch test and under landfill conditions.     

Toxicity of waste gasification bottom ash leachate

Toxicity of waste gasification bottom ash leachate from landfill lysimeters (112 m(3)) was studied over three years. The leachate of grate incineration bottom ash from a parallel setup was used as reference material. Three aquatic organisms (bioluminescent bacteria, green algae and water flea) were used to study acute toxicity. In addition, an ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) assay was performed with mouse hepatoma cells to indicate the presence of organic contaminants. Concentrations of 14 elements and 15 PAH compounds were determined to characterise leachate. Gasification ash leachate had a high pH (9.2-12.4) and assays with and without pH adjustment to neutral were used. Gasification ash leachate was acutely toxic (EC(50) 0.09-62 vol-%) in all assays except in the algae assay with pH adjustment. The gasification ash toxicity lasted the entire study period and was at maximum after two years of disposal both in water flea (EC(50) 0.09 vol-%) and in algae assays (EC(50) 7.5 vol-%). The grate ash leachate showed decreasing toxicity during the first two years of disposal in water flea and algae assays, which then tapered off. Both in the grate ash and in the gasification ash leachates EROD-activity increased during the first two years of disposal and then tapered off, the highest inductions were observed with the gasification ash leachate. The higher toxicity of the gasification ash leachate was probably related to direct and indirect effects of high pH and to lower levels of TOC and DOC compared to the grate ash leachate. The grate ash leachate toxicity was similar to that previously reported in literature, therefore, confirming that used setup was both comparable and reliable.     

Status of Peatland Degradation and Development in Sumatra and Kalimantan

Peatlands cover around 13 Mha in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia. Human activities have rapidly increased in the peatland ecosystems during the last two decades, invariably degrading them and making them vulnerable to fires. This causes high carbon emissions that contribute to global climate change. For this article, we used 94 high resolution (10-20 m) satellite images to map the status of peatland degradation and development in Sumatra and Kalimantan using visual image interpretation. The results reveal that less than 4% of the peatland areas remain covered by pristine peatswamp forests (PSFs), while 37% are covered by PSFs with varying degree of degradation. Furthermore, over 20% is considered to be unmanaged degraded landscape, occupied by ferns, shrubs and secondary growth. This alarming extent of degradation makes peatlands vulnerable to accelerated peat decomposition and catastrophic fire episodes that will have global consequences. With on-going degradation and development the existence of the entire tropical peatland ecosystem in this region is in great danger.     

Stabilisation of MSWI bottom ash with sulphide-rich anaerobic effluent

Effluent of an anaerobic sulphate-reducing wastewater treatment process was used to stabilise bottom ash. The effect of stabilisation on the concentration and binding of Ca, P, S, Cu, Pb, Zn, As, Cr, and Mo were studied by comparing results of sequential extraction from fresh and stabilised bottom ash. The stabilisation treatment improved the retention of Ca, Cu, Pb, S, and Zn in bottom ash compared to a treatment with ion-exchanged water. In addition to retention, Cu, S, and Zn were accumulated from the anaerobic effluent in the bottom ash. Concentrations of As, Cr, and Mo remained on the same level, whereas leaching of P increased compared to control treatment with ion-exchanged water. Improved retention and accumulation were the result of increased binding to less soluble fractions. The highest increases were in the sulphide and organic carbon bound fraction and in the carbonate fraction. Enhanced carbonation was probably due to CO2 deriving from the degradation of organic carbon. Flushing of stabilised bottom ash with ion-exchanged water ensured that the observed changes were not easily reversed. Most of the sulphide in the anaerobic effluent was removed when it was passed through bottom ash. The objective was to study the feasibility of sulphide-rich anaerobic effluent in bottom ash stabilisation and changes in the binding of the elements during stabilisation. In addition, the ability of the process to remove sulphide from the effluent was observed.     

The biodegradation of lactic acid-based poly(ester-urethanes)

The biodegradability of lactic acid based poly(ester-urethanes) was studied using the headspace test method, which was performed at several elevated temperatures. The poly(ester-urethanes) were prepared using a straight two-step lactic acid polymerization process. The lactic acid is first condensation polymerized to a low molecular weight hydroxyl-terminated telechelic prepolymer and then the molecular weight is increased with a chain extender such as diisocyanate. In the biodegradation studies the effect of different stereostructures (different amounts of D-units in the polymer chain), the length of ester units, and the effect of crosslinking on the biodegradation rate were studied. The results indicate that poly(ester-urethanes) do not biodegrade at 25‡C, but at elevated temperatures they biodegrade well. The different stereostructures and crosslinking have a strong influence on the biodegradation rate. The length of ester units in the polymer chain also affects the biodegradation rate, but much less than crosslinking and stereostructure.     

Assessing the impact of CO2 emission control scenarios in Finland on radiative forcing and greenhouse effect

Carbon dioxide emission reduction scenarios for Finland are compared with respect to the radiative forcing they cause (heating power due to the absorption of infrared radiation in the atmosphere). Calculations are made with the REFUGE system model using three carbon cycle models to obtain an uncertainity band for the development of the atmospheric concentration. The future emissions from the use of fossil fuels in Finland are described with three scenarios. In the reference scenario (business-as-usual), the emissions and the radiative forcing they cause would grow continuously. In the scenario of moderate emission reduction, the emissions would decrease annually by 1% from the first half of the next century. The radiative forcing would hardly decrease during the next century, however. In the scenario of strict emission reductions, the emissions are assumed to decrease annually by 3%, but the forcing would not decrease until approximately from the middle of the next century depending on the model used. Still, in the year 2100 the forcing would be considerably higher than the forcing in 1990. Due to the slow removal of CO₂ from the atmosphere by the oceans, it is difficult to reach a decreasing radiative forcing only by limiting fossil CO₂ emissions. The CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels in Finland contribute to the global emissions presently by about 0.2%. The relative contribution of Finnish CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels to the global forcing due to CO₂ emissions is presently somewhat less than 0.2% due to relatively smaller emissions in the past. The impact of the nonlinearity of both CO₂ removal from the atmosphere and of CO₂ absorption of infrared radiation on the results is discussed.     

Multivariate Statistics of the Pyrolysis Products of High Molecular Components in Pulping Wastewaters to Explain Their Toxicity (6 pp)

Background, Aim and Scope At present, large-scale paper manufacture involves delignification and bleaching by elemental chlorine free (ECF) or totally chlorine free (TCF) processes. The wastewater is purified by secondary treatment (mechanical, chemical and biological) which removes most of the toxic substances from the discharge. However, we found residual toxicity in the high molecular (> 1000 D) matter (HMWM) of the discharge by test of the RET (reverse electronic transfer) inhibition. This fraction consists mainly of polydisperse lignin (LIG) and carbohydrate (CH) macromolecules. Structural units in these molecules are studied by pyrolysis gas chromatography / mass spectrometry (Pyr-GC/MS). In the present work, our aim was to find out those structural units which could explain the RET toxicity of LIG or CH molecules. We compared statistically RET toxicity values of the HMWM samples from treated wastewaters of pilot pulping experiments and intensity variation of the pyrolysis product gas chromatograms of these samples. This application is a novel study procedure. Methods Pyrolysis products (Py-GC/MS results) and inhibition of RET (reverse electronic transport toxicity) as TU50 and TU20 of HMWM (High Molecular Weight Material; Mw > 1000 D) were compared by multivariate statistics. The samples were from laboratory pilot stages of TCF (Totally Chlorine Free) and ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free) manufacture of softwood pulp. Py-GC/MS was done without and with addition of TMAH (Tetra Methyl Ammonium Hydroxide). The name and structure of each abundant fragment compound was identified from its retention time and mass spectrum compared to authentic reference compounds or literature. Four sets of Toxicity Units (TUs) and GC peak areas of the pyrolysis fragments were obtained. The data were normalized by division with LIG (lignin content of each sample). TU values were dependent and the fragment values independent (explanatory) variables in statistical treatments by SPSS system. Separate analyses of correlations, principal components (PCA) and stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR) were performed from the four sample sets TCF and ECF with and without TMAH. Results and Discussion From the CH fragments, 2-furfural in TCF, and from the LIG fragments, styrene in ECF showed the highest probabilities to originate from source structures of toxicity. Other possible compounds in concern were indicated to be CH fragment 2-methyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one in ECF and LIG fragments 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol, 4,5-dimethoxy-2-methylphenol and 2-methylphenol in TCF.     

Biocides in eggs of aquatic birds. Completion of a food chain enrichment study for DDT,PCB and HG

Eggs (N=224) of seven aquatic bird species of Lake Päijänne, Finland, were analyzed for their contents of HCB, DDE, PCB, mercury (TOTHG) and methyl mercury (METHG as per cent of TOTHG). METHG was 85.5 % which is the same as in fish. Also the levels of TOTHG were of the same order of magnitude in eggs and in fish of Päijänne, but the levels of chlorinated hydrocarbons were much higher in eggs. Differences between species were highly significant but the annual and regional differences were mostly insignificant. The chlorinated hydrocarbons correlated positively with each other and with fat contents but insignificantly with mercury contents. Calculation of total residue amounts in egg, juvenile and adult bird specimens exposed an enrichment of DDT to three, PCB to five and mercury to all seven species.     

Importance of set-aside for breeding birds of open farmland in Finland

The set-aside obligation under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) brought widespread benefits for wild farmland species. Shortly after it was abolished in 2008, the national political process in Finland replaced it with a targeted agri-environment scheme for environmental fallow. Though potentially highly valuable, the value of the current scheme for securing biodiversity is yet to be confirmed. This study evaluates the importance of set-asides established under CAP to all birds of open farmland based on national monitoring data from 2001 to 2006. The set-aside fields supported 25-40% more species and held 60-105% more pairs of birds typical of open farmland in comparison with cereal fields within a similar landscape setting. The estimated effect of set-aside presence in farmland on the studied bird species is large enough to trigger considerable changes in bird populations on the national scale. The relevance of the results to the novel agri-environment scheme is discussed.