A review on vitrification technologies of hazardous waste

Vitrification technology provides a solution for the issue of safe disposal of hazardous waste containing harmful chemical composition and organic pollutants. This review discusses application of vitrification technologies to treat hazardous waste including, asbestos, fly ash, electronic sludge, nuclear waste, medical waste and radioactive waste. Vitrification processes via Joule heating, microwave heating, plasma technology, electric arc furnaces and incinerators are compared herein. Stabilization of hazardous waste can be achieved by vitrification with the addition of flux agents/additives. Furthermore, crystalline structures, containing the silicate-glass network, are formed as a result of vitrification, depending on the type of flux agents/additives used. In addition, the concentration of heavy metals can be degraded in the final residue and leaching resistance can be achieved. Moreover, energy consumption, pollution prevention and the foreground of the practical application of vitrification are discussed. Vitrification with the advantage of encapsulating pollutants from the hazardous waste is proven to be a promising approach for hazardous waste treatment.