Utilization of Extraction Procedures for Evaluating Environmental Risk from Waste Materials
Dagmar Remeteiová1, Silvia Ružičková1, Mária Heželová1
1Institute of Recycling Technologies, Faculty of Materials, Metallurgy and Recycling, Technical University of Košice, Letná 9, 04200 Košice, Slovakia.
Toxics
|August 25, 2023
Summary
Waste from sulphide ore processing poses a greater environmental risk due to toxic heavy metal mobility than bauxite waste. Acetic acid extraction effectively measures metal content in sulphide ore tailings.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Geochemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Industrial waste, including red mud, brown-red mud, and flotation tailings, contains toxic heavy metals (THMs).
- Assessing the environmental risk of THM mobility from these wastes is crucial for ecosystem protection.
- Different ore processing methods result in distinct waste compositions and potential environmental impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the environmental impact of THM extraction from various industrial waste types.
- To compare the effectiveness of different extraction procedures (EDTA, AA, HNO3) in determining mobilizable and maximum potentially mobilizable metal fractions.
- To assess the relative environmental threat posed by bauxite processing waste versus sulphide ore flotation tailings.
Main Methods:
- Investigated waste materials from bauxite (Bayer and sintering processes) and sulphide ore processing.
- Employed extraction procedures using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), acetic acid (AA), and nitric acid (HNO3).
- Quantified toxic heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn) and Fe, Mn using high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry (HR CS FAAS) after microwave digestion.
Main Results:
- Waste origin significantly influences THM mobility into the environment.
- Bauxite processing wastes present a lower environmental threat compared to sulphide ore flotation sludge.
- Acetic acid (AA) extraction is more effective than EDTA for assessing mobilizable metals in sulphide ore tailings.
- THM mobility in Lintich tailings decreases from lagoon to dam, suggesting the dam mitigates metal spread.
Conclusions:
- Sulphide ore flotation tailings pose a higher environmental risk due to greater THM mobility than bauxite processing wastes.
- Acetic acid is a suitable reagent for evaluating the mobilizable fraction of metals in sulphide ore tailings.
- Waste management strategies should consider the specific origin and characteristics of industrial byproducts to mitigate environmental risks.
Keywords:
environmental riskextraction proceduresmobility of heavy metalsore processing waste tailingswaste materials
