ABSTRACT
In this work, the capability of nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension in removing and/or immobilizing stable ((133)Cs) and radioactive cesium species ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) in contaminated fly ash was investigated. After a first methanol and second water washing yielded only 45% of (133)Cs removal. While, after a first methanol washing, the second solvent with nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension yielded simultaneous enhanced removal and immobilization about 99% of (133)Cs. SEM-EDS analysis revealed that the mass percent of detectable (133)Cs on the fly ash surface recorded a 100% decrease. When real radioactive cesium contaminated fly ash (containing an initial 14,040Bqkg(-1)(134)Cs and (137)Cs cumulated concentration) obtained from burning wastes from Fukushima were reduced to 3583Bqkg(-1) after treatment with nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension. Elution test conducted on the treated fly ash gave 100BqL(-1) total (134)Cs and (137)Cs concentrations in eluted solution. Furthermore, both ash content and eluted solution concentrations of (134)Cs and (137)Cs were much lower than the Japanese Ministry of the Environment regulatory limit of 8000Bqkg(-1) and 150BqL(-1) respectively. The results of this study suggest that the nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension is a highly potential amendment for the remediation of radioactive cesium-contaminated fly ash.
Subject(s)
Calcium Compounds/chemistry , Calcium/chemistry , Cesium Radioisotopes/chemistry , Cesium/chemistry , Coal Ash/analysis , Methanol/chemistry , Oxides/chemistry , Cesium/isolation & purification , Cesium Isotopes/chemistry , Cesium Isotopes/isolation & purification , Cesium Radioisotopes/isolation & purification , Incineration , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning , Refuse Disposal , SuspensionsABSTRACT
In the present work, we investigated the use of nano-metallic calcium (Ca) and calcium oxide (CaO) dispersion mixture for the simultaneous remediation of contaminated soils with both heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, and Pb) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Regardless of soil moisture content, nano-metallic Ca/CaO dispersion mixture achieved about 95-99% of heavy metal immobilization by a simple grinding process. During the same treatment, reasonable PCB hydrodechlorination efficiencies were obtained (up to 97%), though higher hydrodechlorination efficiency by preliminary drying of soil was observed.
Subject(s)
Calcium Compounds/chemistry , Calcium/chemistry , Metals, Heavy/chemistry , Oxides/chemistry , Polychlorinated Biphenyls/chemistry , Soil Pollutants/chemistry , Soil/chemistry , Decontamination , Environmental PollutionABSTRACT
This study investigated the use of a nanometallic Ca and CaO dispersion mixture for the immobilization of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr and Pb) in contaminated soil. Simple grinding achieved 85-90% heavy metal immobilization, but it can be enhanced further to 98-100% by addition of a nanometallic Ca/CaO dispersion mixture produced by grinding. Observations using SEM-EDS elemental maps and semi-quantitative analysis showed that the amounts of As, Cd, Cr, and Pb measurable on the soil particle surface decrease after nanometallic Ca/CaO treatment. The leachable heavy metal concentrations were reduced after nanometallic Ca/CaO treatment to concentrations lower than the Japan soil elution standard regulatory threshold: <0.01 mg L(-1) for As, Cd, and Pb; and 0.05 mg L(-1) for Cr. Effects of soil moisture and pH on heavy metal immobilization were not strongly influenced. The most probable mechanisms for the enhancement of heavy metal immobilization capacity with nanometallic Ca/CaO treatment might be due to adsorption and entrapment of heavy metals into newly formed aggregates, thereby prompting aggregation of soil particles and enclosure/binding with Ca/CaO-associated immobile salts. Results suggest that the nanometallic Ca/CaO mixture is suitable for use in immobilization of heavy-metal-contaminated soil under normal moisture conditions.
