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SORBENTS FOR FLUORIDE, METAL FINISHING, AND PETROLEUM SLUDGE LEACHATE CONTAMINANT CONTROL
Citation:
Chan, P., R. Dresnack, J. Liskowitz, A. Perna, AND R. Trattner. SORBENTS FOR FLUORIDE, METAL FINISHING, AND PETROLEUM SLUDGE LEACHATE CONTAMINANT CONTROL. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/2-78/024.
Description:
This report covers the initial laboratory studies carried out to identify the most promising sorbents that may be used to significantly reduce the concentration of measurable contaminant in calcium fluoride sludge leachate, metal finishing sludge leachate, and petroleum sludge leachate. Laboratory evaluations were made of bottom ash, acidic and basic fly ashes, vermiculite, illite, activated carbon, kaolinite, natural zeolite, activated alumina, and cullite for the removal of contaminants in the leachate and liquid portion of these three industrial sludges. Batch and lysimeter studies were carried out to evaluate the static and dynamic sorbent capacity for the constituents present in the leachate. Permeability exhibited by these sorbents when contacted with an industrial sludge leachate was also studied. The pH, conductivity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), cationic and anionic species in the leachate before and after contact with the sorbent materials and the coefficient of permeability were determined. Considerable variations in composition and concentration of leachate constituents were shown. Batch and lysimeter studies revealed that no single sorbent could be used to reduce the concentration of the constituents found in the leachate of a specific sludge; rather, combinations of two or more sorbents could be used. The sludges chosen for this study were a calcium fluoride sludge (of the type generated by the electronic and aircraft industries), a metal finishing sludge, and a petroleum sludge. These sludges were selected because their annual production is of a significant magnitude to present disposal problems.