Ash from the combustion of wood treated with inorganic wood preservatives: Element composition and leaching

Wood samples impregnated with inorganic wood preservatives containing the elements arsenic, boron, chromium, copper, fluorine, and/or zinc were burned in a furnace. Three different kinds of ash were collected: furnace, boiler, and so-called fly ash. Analyses showed that the ash contained large amounts of elements originating from the inorganic wood preservatives. Further interest was focused on the leachability of the above-mentioned elements. For this purpose a laboratory batch leaching test according to the German Standard DIN 38 414 part 4 was chosen. The results indicate that the leachability is in a range where the release of these elements to the environment from deposited ash can be considered as detrimental.     

Monitoring losses of copper based wood preservatives in the Thames estuary

Field trials were conducted at two sites in the Thames estuary to monitor losses of copper, chromium and arsenic from wood preservative treated timbers of varying sizes and treatment regimes. Results indicated that leaching tests conducted under standard laboratory conditions might overestimate losses compared to losses resulting from real environmental exposures. Amine copper treated wood was noted to leach higher levels of copper compared to chromated copper arsenate treated wood, and was therefore considered an inappropriate replacement biocide for fresh and marine construction purposes on this basis. Increases in copper concentrations in the outer sections of amine copper treated posts may have represented re-distribution of this component in this timber. No accumulation of metals was found in sediments surrounding field trial posts.     

Leaching of chromated copper arsenate wood preservatives: a review

Recent studies have generated conflicting data regarding the bioaccumulation and toxicity of leachates from preservative-treated wood. Due to the scale of the wood preserving industry, timber treated with the most common preservative, chromated copper arsenate (CCA), may form a significant source of metals in the aquatic environment. The existing literature on leaching of CCA is reviewed, and the numerous factors affecting leaching rates, including pH, salinity, treatment and leaching test protocols are discussed. It is concluded from the literature that insufficient data exists regarding these effects to allow accurate quantification of leaching rates, and also highlights the need for standardised leaching protocols.     

Field-scale leaching of arsenic, chromium and copper from weathered treated wood

Earlier studies documented the loss of wood preservatives from new wood. The objective of this study was to evaluate losses from weathered treated wood under field conditions by collecting rainfall leachate from 5 different wood types, all with a surface area of 0.21 m². Wood samples included weathered chromate copper arsenate (CCA) treated wood at low (2.7 kg/m³), medium (4.8 kg/m³) and high (35.4 kg/m³) retention levels, new alkaline copper quat (ACQ) treated wood (1.1 kg/m³ as CuO) and new untreated wood. Arsenic was found to leach at a higher rate (100 mg in 1 year for low retention) than chromium and copper (<40 mg) in all CCA-treated wood samples. Copper leached at the highest rate from the ACQ sample (670 mg). Overall results suggest that metals' leaching is a continuous process driven by rainfall, and that the mechanism of release from the wood matrix changes as wood weathers.     

Environmental fate and bioavailability of wood preservatives in freshwater sediments near an old sawmill site.

Impacts of an old contaminated sawmill site located in Eastern Finland were studied, with emphasis on transportation and bioaccumulation of wood preservatives in the surrounding water system. To assess the transportation of chlorophenols and chromated copper arsenate (CCA) from the sawmill to the nearby lake, the concentrations of these compounds in selected sediment samples were analyzed. To assess the contribution of a pulp mill further upstream, the concentration of extractable organic halogens (EOX) was analyzed. Bioaccumulation of wood preservatives from sediments was examined using Lumbriculus variegatus as test organism. In sediments collected from the sawmill area, concentrations of chlorophenols, arsenic, chromium and copper were high. In the surrounding area the concentrations of these compounds were slightly elevated at some sampling points but were mostly within the natural range of variation. Thus, it can be concluded that transportation of wood preservatives from the sawmill area to its surroundings is fairly low. However, 60 microg/l of arsenic and 50 microg/l of copper were found in water taken from a brook that runs through a landfill area of the sawmill to the nearby river, and the concentration of arsenic in the surface sediment at one sampling point in the lake was slightly elevated. The total amount of organohalogens in sediment was higher in the river and the lake than in the sawmill area. Of all the wood preservatives studied, only arsenic was found to bioaccumulate in present conditions, reaching a tissue concentration of 362 microg/g dw in organisms exposed for 28 days to sediment from the brook. High concentration of arsenic in oligochaeta tissue was related to high concentration of arsenic in the pore water.     

稳定化/固化废物中重金属的渗漏行为

采用穿透渗漏和常见的环绕流动渗漏（动态渗漏）实验方法,研究和比较了经水泥固化的稳定化／固化有毒有害废物的渗漏行为,所用的合成重废物样吕由Ｐｂ＾２＋、Ｚｎ＾２＋、Ｃｕ＾２＋、Ｎｉ＾２＋和Ｃｒ（ＶＩ）等５种重金属组成,结果表明,在同种渗漏方式中,重金属的渗漏行为不同。发生穿透渗漏时,重金属的渗漏速率较环绕流动渗漏时高。由于穿透渗漏加束渗漏过程,因此用它研究废物渗漏行为可节省实验时间。     

2种浸取程序下炉渣重金属浸出特性

对锅炉煤渣、高炉煤渣、流化床焚烧渣和炉排焚烧渣4种炉渣样品进行了分级,研究炉渣典型重金属(Cu、Zn、Cr、Cd、Pb)含量,以及基于水平振荡浸出程序(HVEP)和毒性特性浸出程序(TCLP)浸取程序的重金属浸出特性,为炉渣的资源化利用模式提供科学依据。结果表明,2种浸取程序下,4种炉渣的重金属浸出浓度远低于浸出毒性限值,其中,炉排焚烧渣中典型重金属(Cu、Zn、Pb、Cr、Cd)浸出量最大,高炉煤渣最小;HVEP方法下,2 mm粒级炉渣对重金属浸出总量的贡献较大,TCLP方法下则为2~6 mm粒径段;高炉煤渣和流化床焚烧渣可作为基质应用于潜流园林湿地污水处理系统,但不适宜于酸雨区。     

The role of ammonia on mercury leaching from coal fly ash

The Federal Clean Air Interstate Rule issued in March 2005 will result in many power plants employing ammonia-based technologies to control NO(x) emission. The Clean Air Mercury Rule, issued at the same time, will encourage many power plants to use various technologies to remove mercury from flue gas, generating fly ashes that contain elevated concentrations of mercury. Ammonia forms relatively strong complexes with mercury compared to most other cationic elements and, therefore, may change the leaching characteristics of mercury. Understanding the impact of ammonia on the leaching of mercury from fly ash is critical in predicting the potential environmental impact of future fly ash. Batch methods were used to investigate the ammonia impact on mercury leaching from fly ash under different pH conditions. The results indicated that mercury leaching without external ammonia addition is not significant. However, ammonia addition increased mercury leaching in the alkaline pH range, due to the formation of less adsorbable mercury-ammonia complexes. Washed ash released more mercury than the raw ash if the ammonia concentration is the same, mainly due to the dissolution of some ash components during washing which exposed more mercury on ash surface. Mercury adsorption data indicated that more than 90% of available mercury was adsorbed by fly ash even in the presence of 1000 mg l(-1) ammonia addition.     

The use of potassium dichromate and ethyl alcohol as blood preservatives for analysis of organochlorine contaminants

The "gold standard" for preserving and shipping of human tissue samples for analysis of organochlorine contaminants is freezing. This method can be difficult, costly if using heavy dry ice for shipping, and often unfeasible, especially in less developed countries where electricity and dry ice are frequently rare or absent. Therefore, it is essential that more convenient and practical methods for preservation of blood samples are found. As an alternative to freezing, there have been studies employing potassium dichromate as a preservative for human or cow's milk or ethyl alcohol preservation of blood for dioxin analysis. In this study, four methods were compared to investigate the effectiveness of ethyl alcohol and potassium dichromate as blood preservatives for analysis of dioxins, dibenzofuran, and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners. Samples of whole blood from a Dallas, Texas hospital were collected and pooled. Freezing, ethyl alcohol in two concentrations (20% and 40% per volume of sample), and potassium dichromate were used for blood preservation. The blood samples containing potassium dichromate or ethyl alcohol were stored and sent to ERGO laboratory for dioxin analysis and comparison with results from the frozen sample, which was kept frozen at all times until analyzed. This study suggests that potassium dichromate is a suitable alternative to freezing for preservation of whole blood for dioxin, dibenzofuran, and PCB measurements when either lipid or wet weight based results are reported. Potassium dichromate tablets were very easy and convenient to use--two 100 mg tablets (with a dichromate content of about 33 mg each) were added to each bottle containing 65 ml of blood. However, ethyl alcohol at 20% and 40% concentration under the conditions of this pilot study and the analytical method employed did not appear to provide satisfactory preservation when lipid based results are given or when the fat content has to be determined (wet or whole weight). Further research with a larger number of samples, inclusion also of other groups of persistent organic pollutants such as organochlorine pesticides or brominated flame retardants, a longer duration of storage time, and at temperatures greater than US or German room temperature is indicated in order to recommend the routine use of potassium dichromate as preservative for whole blood intended for dioxin, dibenzofuran, and PCB analysis.     

The predictive value of short-term screening tests for carcinogenicity

Short term tests are increasingly used to detect mutagenicity and/or possible carcinogenicity. This increasing use is based on the new ideas in chemical carcinogenesis, which have led to the so-called somatic mutation theory.It is emphasized that not all carcinogens will be mutagenic per se especially since two classes of carcinogens can be distinguished, i.e. genotoxic and non-genotoxic or epigenetic carcinogens. The most commonly used short-term tests are those which detect mutagenic action, DNA damage or those which detect malignant transformation in cell cultures.Since most short-term tests lack metabolic activation a metabolic activation system is usually added to the test system. The sensitivity, the specificity and the accuracy of the different short-term test are discussed. The use of a combination of mutagenicity tests usually increases the sensitivity whereas specificity and accuracy usually decrease. The use of a battery of different short-term tests may yield better results with respect to the specificity and accuracy.     

生物法和化学法回收制革污泥中铬的对比研究

研究了嗜酸性硫杆菌(Thiobacillus)生物沥滤法和1:1硫酸化学沥滤法分离回收制革污泥中的铬.比较了嗜酸性硫杆菌生物沥滤法和化学沥滤法回收制革污泥铬过程中pH、氧化还原电位(ORP)、沉降比(SV)以及铬的沥滤率的变化.试验结果表明,pH是影响制革污泥中铬的沥滤率的关键因素.生物沥滤法在使污泥pH大幅度降低的同时,能很好地改善污泥的沉降性能,对铬的沥滤效果好于化学沥滤法.     

国外尾矿酸性排水和重金属淋滤作用研究进展

尾矿引起的环境问题是水 气 矿物在地表条件下发生复杂反应的综合结果。近年来 ,国外学者研究显示 ,发生在尾矿中的风化作用不仅仅有硫化物的氧化作用 ,而且还伴随有机物氧化作用 ,碳酸盐等矿物中和作用 ,次生矿物沉淀作用、结晶作用、胶结作用 ,矿物交代蚀变作用、吸附作用、离子交换作用以及生物作用。上述各种作用互相影响 ,互相制约。目前 ,最新研究表明 ,许多因素都会影响尾矿风化作用 ,这些因素主要包括 :尾矿原生矿物组成、成因、化学成分、表面积和形态 ;尾矿酸中和潜力 ;溶液pH值 ;次生矿物形成及其吸附、离子交换、胶结作用 ;溶液中Fe3+离子的浓度 ;有机物的种类和含量 ;尾矿粒度分布和空隙度 ;气候条件和尾矿的水文地质环境     

Acid precipitation: The importance of nitric acid

Acid precipitation is caused by H₂SO₄ and HNO₃. Currently, in the north-eastern United States on an annual basis, the maximum contributions of H₂SO₄ and HNO₃ to the acidity of precipitation in summer are 73 and 31% and in winter are 59 and 61%, respectively. Based on statistical analyses of the 15-y record of precipitation composition from the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest during 1964–1979, the importance of H₂SO₄ has decreased by about 30% relative to HNO₃ and HNO₃ has increased by about 50% relative to H₂SO₄.     

Characterizing the uncertainty of pesticide leaching in agricultural soils

A Monte-Carlo numerical simulation procedure for making regional assessments of pesticide leaching has been developed. This procedure uses probability density functions for organic matter, field capacity, and wilting point developed from information on approximately 3000 soils. Variations in climatic conditions were incorporated by random selection of yearly rainfall data. The procedure was demonstrated for aldicarb applied to corn grown in Ohio. A total of 2000 parameter sets were evaluated using the unsaturated zone model PRZM. The simulation results indicated that convergence of the 90th, 95th, and 99th percentiles for movement past 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.5 m was obtained after 500 simulations. The relative uncertainty associated with these percentiles was approximately 50% after 1500 simulations. The downward movement of aldicarb residues was most sensitive to changes in field capacity. These simulations, coupled with additional soil-specific simulations, indicated no significant movement of aldicarb residues beyond 1.8 m for applications to Ohio corn.     

Investigations on the leaching behaviour of irrigated construction elements

Objective  

In this paper, results regarding the leaching of trace elements out of mineral building materials under irrigation are presented.     

Limitations of the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure for providing a conservative estimate of landfilled municipal solid waste incineration ash leaching

Limitations of the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) for simulating pollutant leaching from wastes disposed of in full-scale landfills are well understood in the waste management profession; the TCLP solution has a lower pH and greater organic acid content than typical landfill leachate. The TCLP serves its intended regulatory objective, however, as long as a conservative estimate of leaching is provided. Here, we examine TCLP’s ability to represent worst-case leaching conditions for monofilled municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) ash. A critical examination of TCLP’s applicability to MSWI ash is especially relevant, as ash management at MSWI facilities often centers on passing TCLP, regardless of environmental risk posed by the ash or its recyclability. Multiple batch leaching tests were conducted on different MSWI ash streams: mixed ash, fly ash, and different size fractions of bottom ash. Batch-test results were compared with leachate simulating MSWI ash monofills. The TCLP did not consistently provide the most conservative estimate of leaching, supporting the need to consider alternative methodologies in future regulatory development.

Implications: This paper analyzes the existing hazardous waste regulatory testing requirement for municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) ash management to evaluate whether the TCLP serves its intended purpose in providing the most conservative estimate of landfilled MSWI ash. The results will serve as guidance and motivation for policy makers and the regulatory community to reevaluate the TCLP’s application for characterizing MSWI ash leaching in certain disposal scenarios and could promote consideration of alternative testing procedures based upon results of this study. This study serves to promote representative and accurate quantification of leaching risk from MSWI ash.     

The physico-chemical properties and leaching behaviors of phosphatic clay for immobilizing heavy metals

In this study, phosphatic clay was used as a phosphate containing material. The fractionation of phosphorus was carried out using the CRM BCR-684 protocol, and the inorganic phosphorus, especially all the apatite phosphorus, was found as the major form. The elemental compositions of the phosphatic clay were identified using an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, and was found to be mainly composed of CaO and P2O5. The specific surface area, pore volume and average pore diameter were measured also. Results of experiment show that the phosphatic clay may provide a cost-effective way to remediate heavy metal contaminated aqueous and slurry phase.     

The importance of liquid water concentration in the atmospheric oxidation of SO2

The concentration of condensed water available for aqueous chemical reactions is viewed as a fundamental parameter of the heterogeneous conversion of gaseous SO₂ to particulate sulfate. New results from a series of dispersed-phase experiments in a cloud chamber, in which the magnitude of this parameter was allowed to vary widely, demonstrate that the heterogeneous SO₂ conversion rate in hazes is generally limited by the small concentration of condensed water. This limitation precludes the heterogeneous oxidation pathway from being important in the atmosphere during haze episodes except under extreme conditions of high humidities and aerosol loadings. In clouds, on the other hand, the liquid water concentrations are relatively large, permitting chemically related factors, such as pH-dependent equilibria and oxidant abundances, to limit the SO₂ conversion rate.