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Leachability testing of sludge from street gullies
Britt-Marie Svensson1, Lennart Måthiasson, Tobias Akeson
1Department of Mathematics and Science, Kristianstad University, SE-291 88 Kristianstad, Sweden. britt-marie.svensson@mna.hkr.se
Summary
Gully sludge leaching tests revealed metal and organic compound concentrations well below hazardous waste limits. Batch tests generally yielded higher eluate concentrations than percolation tests, with varying repeatability.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Waste Management
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Gully sludge poses potential environmental risks due to accumulated pollutants.
- Standardized leaching tests are crucial for waste classification and risk assessment.
- Evaluating EU-recommended leaching methods is essential for consistent waste management practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the applicability of two EU-recommended leaching tests (batch and percolation) for gully sludge.
- To determine metal and organic compound concentrations in gully sludge eluates.
- To compare the performance and repeatability of the batch versus percolation leaching tests.
Main Methods:
- Investigated gully sludge from streets with varying traffic intensity.
- Applied a two-stage batch test and an up-flow percolation test for leachability.
- Analyzed eluates for pH, conductivity, dissolved organic carbon, chloride ions, metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Zn), and organic compounds.
Main Results:
- Sludge pollutant concentrations were orders of magnitude higher than eluate concentrations.
- All determined metal concentrations were below the EU limit values for non-hazardous waste (Council Decision 2003/33/EC).
- Batch tests generally produced equal or higher eluate concentrations compared to percolation tests.
Conclusions:
- The investigated leaching tests are applicable for gully sludge assessment.
- Gully sludge, under tested conditions, is likely classifiable as non-hazardous waste.
- Batch tests showed better repeatability (17%) than percolation tests (28%) for this application.
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