A novel approach in red mud neutralization using cow dung.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Geochemistry
• Waste Management

Background:

• Red mud (RM) is a highly alkaline industrial waste product from alumina refining.
• The disposal of RM poses significant environmental challenges due to its high pH and heavy metal content.
• Effective neutralization methods are crucial for mitigating the environmental impact of red mud.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of cow dung as a neutralizing agent for red mud.
• To quantify the reduction in pH, alkalinity, and acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) of red mud treated with cow dung.
• To analyze the mineralogical changes in red mud after treatment with cow dung.

Main Methods:

• Addition of cow dung to red mud samples under anaerobic conditions.
• Monitoring of pH and alkalinity over a 40-day period.
• X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis to determine mineralogical composition.

Main Results:

• Cow dung addition reduced red mud pH from 10.28 to 8.15.
• Alkalinity decreased by approximately 148 mg/L, and ANC reduced from 1.506 to 0.87 mol H+/kg.
• XRD analysis revealed the presence of quartz and a new compound, calcium carbide.

Conclusions:

• Cow dung is an efficient and promising agent for neutralizing red mud.
• The study validates the use of cow dung for reducing the hazardous properties of red mud.
• Further research into cow dung-based red mud treatment can lead to sustainable waste management solutions.