Geopolymers with a high percentage of bottom ash for solidification/immobilization of different toxic metals

Geopolymers are produced using alkali-activated aluminosilicates, either as waste or natural material obtained from various sources. This study synthesized geopolymers from bottom ash and metakaolin (BA/M) in a 2:1wt ratio to test the solidification/immobilization (S/I) properties of heavy metals in geopolymer matrices, since there is very little research using BA in this type of matrices. Therefore, a decision was made to use more than 65% of BA in geopolymer synthesis with and without the addition of heavy metals. The S/I tests with metals used 10, 15 and 30ml of a waste solution after pickling of printed circuit boards containing metals, including Pb, Cr, Cu, Fe, Sn, As and Ni, in different proportions. As alkali activator, the NaOH and KOH were used in the concentrations of 8 and 12M in the composition of Na2SiO3 in 1:2vol ratios. To test S/I efficiency, tests were conducted to obtain the leached and solubilized extract. The analysis was carried out through X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and compressive strength tests. The geopolymer showed a high degree of S/I of the metals; in some samples, the results reached nearly 100%.