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Evaluation of Blast Furnace Slag as a means of Reducing Metal Availability in a Contaminated Sediment for Beneficial use Purposes
Citation:
Barth*, E F., B. Sass, AND S. Chattopadhyay. Evaluation of Blast Furnace Slag as a means of Reducing Metal Availability in a Contaminated Sediment for Beneficial use Purposes. DOI: 10.1080/1532038, J. Dragun, P. Kostecki (ed.), SOIL AND SEDIMENT CONTAMINATION: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL, 16(3):281-300, (2007).
Impact/Purpose:
to publish information
Description:
An attractive option for the disposal of dredged sediment involves the use of the sediment for beneficial purposes. Treatment (chemical amendment) of the sediment may be necessary to limit the environmental and human availability (bioavailability, leachability, plant uptake) of heavy metals associated with contaminated sediments. A laboratory study was conducted to investigate the effect of admixing a chemical amendment (blast furnace slag) with a fresh-water sediment on reducing metal availability. Certain characterization tests showed that a moderately large fraction of the metals associated with the contaminated sediment were present in relatively available forms, such as bound to carbonates or hydroxides, which could become more available if conditions were to become acidic, or organic matter, which could release metals to the pore water if redox conditions become oxidizing. Other characterization tests did not indicate availability of the metals from the sediments. A series of characterization, leaching, and plant availability testing methods indicated that the amendment of the sediment with blast furnace slag (4% on a dry weight ratio basis) had the potential to reduce the availability of some, but not all, metals of concern.
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Evaluation of Blast Furnace Slag as a means of Reducing Metal Availability in a Contaminated Sediment for Beneficial use Purposes