Assessment of long-term leaching from waste incineration air-pollution-control residues.

Assessment of long-term leaching from MSWI air-pollution-control (APC) residues is discussed with respect to use in environmental impact assessment, such as life-cycle assessment (LCA). A method was proposed for estimating leaching as a function of the liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratio in a long-term perspective (L/S 5000l/kg). Data for changes in residue pH as a function of L/S was used in combination with pH dependent leaching data to predict leachate concentrations of Al, Ca, Cd, Ba, Mg, Ni, Pb, S, Pb, V and Zn as a function of L/S. Mass balance calculations were used to determine the element fractions leached with respect to L/S. The estimated long-term leaching from a semi-dry residue and a fly ash was compared with short-term leaching determined by batch tests at L/S 10l/kg, both carbonated and non-carbonated versions of the residues were investigated. Generally, very high L/S ratios above 2000l/kg were required to leach 20-30% of the solid contents. However, Ca and S were depleted at L/S 200-900l/kg. The long-term leachate concentrations were found to either remain at the same level as the initial leaching determined by the L/S 10 batch test, or to significantly decrease compared with the initial leaching. Only Al and Zn were found to show higher leachate concentrations at L/S ratios above 3000-5000l/kg. Carbonation generally prolonged the time needed for depletion from the solid residues; however, Ca and S were depleted faster than in the case of non-carbonated residues. This study shows that uncritical use of batch leaching data for assessing the potential leaching is highly problematic, and evaluations of residue disposal should include scenario specific quantification of the long-term leaching.

Method development for trace analysis of heteroaromatic compounds in contaminated groundwater.

An analytical method providing high sensitivity (limit of quantitation of 50 ng/l) with acceptable reproducibility (mean R.S.D. 19%) has been developed for determining heteroaromatic compounds in creosote-contaminated groundwater. The best technique (highest recovery and reproducibility) found between liquid-liquid extraction using either dichloromethane, diethyl ether or pentane and solid-phase extraction with reversed-phase bonded columns, was the classical liquid extraction with dichloromethane from weak basic solutions and GC-MS (selective ion monitoring) analysis of concentrated extracts.

Identification of organic compounds migrating from polyethylene pipelines into drinking water.

A study of the diffusion of organic additives from four polyethylene (PE) materials into drinking water was conducted. Various structures of organic chemicals were identified in the water extracts by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Most of them presented a basic common structure characterised by a phenolic ring typically substituted with hindered alkyl groups in positions 2 and 6 on the aromatic ring. The structures attributed to some of the chemicals have been confirmed using commercial or purposely synthesised standards. Unprocessed granules of raw PE were also analysed, in order to investigate the origin of the chemicals detected in the water samples. Consequently, the presence of some of the compounds was attributed to impurities or by-products of typical phenolic additives used as antioxidants in pipeline production. Finally, the occurrence of the identified chemicals was tested under field conditions, i.e. in water samples from newly installed pipelines in a distribution system. Here, the presence of three of the compounds identified in vitro was detected.

Storage and degradation of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate in activated sludge under aerobic conditions.

This research analyses the accumulation and degradation of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) in experiments with pulse addition of acetate to samples of activated sludge from pilot-plant and full-scale wastewater treatment plants. The experiments are divided into two periods: a feast period defined as the time when acetate is consumed and a famine period when the added acetate has been exhausted. In the feast period the significant process occurring is the production of PHB from acetate. The produced PHB is utilised in the famine period for production of glycogen and biomass. According to modelling results approximately 90% of the total potential growth occurs in the famine period utilising the stored PHB. The degradation rate for PHB in the famine period is found to be dependent on the level of PHB obtained at the end of the feast period. It was found that multiple order kinetics gives a good description of the rate of PHB degradation. The examined sludge of low SRT origin is found to degrade PHB faster than long SRT sludge at high fractions of PHB. The observed yield of glycogen on PHB in the famine period is in the range of 0.22-0.33 g COD/g COD depending on the SRT. The storage pool of glycogen in the examined sludge is more slowly degraded than PHB (COD/COD/h).

Composition of human excreta--a case study from Southern Thailand.

In Thailand, human excreta might be recycled into agricultural soils as a supplement to commercial fertiliser and thereby enrich the general fertility of the soils. However, for Thailand an adequate knowledge of the quality of human excreta, in order to assess its fertiliser potential, is not available. A literature survey revealed only very limited information of the chemical composition and generation rate of human excreta in South East Asia. Data from other parts of the world also lacked specific information on collection and analytical methods, or the studies were typically 20-30 years old. In the present study the composition of human excreta has been studied in three case study areas in Southern Thailand: Kuan Lang, Phattalung and Prik. The inhabitants of the three areas represent people of Southern Thailand by age, sex, occupation, religion and type of residence. Human excreta was collected and stored for 1 week from five persons in each area, who each had their own toilet and collection bucket. In parallel, a septic tank at the Observation and Protection (O&P) Centre of Songkhla (a boys prison institution) adjacent to the three study areas was used as a daily sampling point, to obtain data on average amounts of human excreta and chemical composition. Information on average values of generation rate and chemical composition was obtained as well as inter-human variation. However, no significant variation was found between the results for human excreta at the O&P Centre or from the 15 individuals. Furthermore, there was no significant influence of age, sex, occupation or religion on the chemical composition. The only significant variation was that the older people excreted larger amounts of total wet matter than the younger, which could be due to a higher water intake, in order to reduce the risk of constipation. The generation rate found was 0.6-1.2 1 urine/cap/day and 120-400 g wet faeces/cap/day. The generation rate of the elements in the excreta was 7.6-7.9 g N/cap/day, 1.6-1.7 g P/cap/day, 1.8-2.7 g K/cap/day, 1.0-1.1 g S/cap/day, 0.75-1.5 g Ca/cap/day, 0.25-0.4 g Mg/cap/day, 9-16 mg Zn/cap/day, 1.4-1.5 mg Cu/cap/day, 0.3 mg Ni/cap/day, 0.02-0.03 mg Cd/cap/day, 0.07-0.14 mg Pb/cap/day, 0.01 mg Hg/cap/day and 0.8-1.1 mg B/cap/day. The metals (Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Pb, Hg) are mainly excreted via the faeces and the remaining elements (N, P, K, S, B) are mainly excreted via the urine. It can be concluded that human excreta constitutes a large fertiliser resource, which presently is not utilised in Thailand.

On-site treatment and landfilling of MSWI air pollution control residues.

Air pollution control (APC) residues from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) are difficult to landfill due to substantial leaching of trace metals. An on-site pretreatment prior to landfilling of APC-residues was investigated in terms of bench-scale experiments with a semidry APC-residue and a fly ash. The treatment involved mixing of the residues with a ferrous sulphate solution and subsequent oxidation of the suspension. Afterwards, the suspension was spread on a dedicated landfill section and allowed to drain by gravity through the drainage system of the landfill. The wastewater from the process, collected through the drainage system, contained large concentrations of salts (Cl: 14-30 g/l, Na: 4-9 g/l, K: 5-11 g/l, Ca: 2-12 g/l) but low concentrations of trace metals (e.g. Pb: 14-100 microg/l, Cd: <2-7 microg/l). The treated residues left in the landfills were later subject to leaching by simulated rainfall. The leachate contained low concentrations of trace metals (Pb: <120 microg/l, Cd: <2 microg/l, Cr: <485 microg/l). The leachate concentrations from the treated APC-residues were substantially reduced compared to concentrations in leachate from untreated APC-residues. Particularly in the early stages of the leaching, concentrations of trace metals were reduced by up to four orders of magnitude.

Stability of a lab-scale biofilm for simultaneous removal of phosphorus and nitrate.

A lab-scale biofilm reactor for simultaneous removal of phosphorus and nitrate was operated for one and a half years. Despite using only well defined synthetic wastewater and well defined operation, the activity varied significantly over the months. It was speculated that microbial population shifts were causing this phenomenon. This could also explain a sudden break down of the process following a slight change in the operation. Over shorter periods of time (time-scale: days), the biofilm could be considered stable enough to perform series of comparable batch experiments. Batch experiments with different start concentrations of acetate, nitrate or phosphate were conducted. These verified 0.5 and 0 order removal rates in the bulk water depending on the concentration. This was taken as an indication of a zonation of the biofilm. Due to the measured variability in the activity and due to the importance of the history of the bacteria when considering biological P removal, on-line measurements are strongly recommended for research on this subject. Microbial characterisation methods are recommended as an assisting tool in further research.

Sorption of lipophilic organic compounds to wood and implications for their environmental fate.

The sorption from water to wood (KWood) of 10 organic chemicals (log KOW, 1.48-6.20) was experimentally determined for oak (Quercus robur) and basket willow (Salix viminalis). Linear regression yielded log KWood = -0.27 (+/- 0.25) + 0.632 (+/- 0.063) log KOW for oak (r = 0.90, n = 27) and log KWood = -0.28 (+/- 0.40) + 0.668 (+/- 0.103) log KOW for willow (r = 0.79, n = 27). According to an equilibrium-partitioning model, wood should be an important storage compartment for lipophilic environmental chemicals, but this is contrary to analytical results. Diffusive uptake from air into wood was estimated to be a relevant transport process only for chemicals with a high KAW. Uptake of chemicals from soil via xylem into stem was simulated with a dynamic one-compartment model. This pathway seems to be important for chemicals with low and intermediate lipophilicity. In large trees, the chemicals are retained for a long time. If metabolism inside the stem occurs, wood can serve as a "safe sink" for environmental chemicals. This might be of use in phytoremediation.

Possible complication regarding phosphorus removal with a continuous flow biofilm system: diffusion limitation.

Diffusion limitation of phosphate possibly constitutes a serious problem regarding the use of a biofilm reactor for enhanced biological phosphorus removal. A lab-scale reactor for simultaneous removal of phosphorus and nitrate was operated in a continuous alternating mode of operation. For a steady-state operation with excess amounts of carbon source (acetate) during the anaerobic phase, the same amount of phosphate was released during the anaerobic phase as was taken up during the anoxic phase. The measured phosphorus content of the biomass that detached during backwash after an anoxic phase was low, 2.4 +/- 0.4% (equal to 24 +/- 4 mg P/g TS). A simplified computer model indicated the reason to be phosphate diffusion limitation and the model revealed a delicate balance between the obtainable phosphorus contents of the biomass and operating parameters, such as backwash interval, biofilm thickness after backwash, and phase lengths. The aspect of diffusion is considered of crucial importance when evaluating the performance of a biofilter for phosphate removal.