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Valorization of coal fly ash (CFA): a multi-industry review

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Abstract

Coal fly ash (CFA) management has become a global environmental concern due to their impact on the environment and the quantities of the waste generated. However, the utilization of CFA as feedstock in industrial processes is considered a promising option for managing the waste sustainably. The physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of CFA such as morphology, surface area, porosity, and chemical composition (silica, alumina, iron oxide, titania, etc.) makes it a suitable feedstock for several industrial processes. Few reports have attempted to summarize the utilization of the waste solely in individual sectors. However, little is known about the application of the waste in other sectors such as metallurgy, rare earth metals recovery and oil and gas. A multi-industry review of CFA utilization is needed to fully appreciate the myriad uses of the waste and identify new knowledge gaps. This review exposes the interconnections between different utilization options and identifies research gaps and new possible uses. In addition to the utilization of CFA across multiple industries, the current work also highlights the regulations and health implications associated with management of the waste. The findings give insight about how existing utilization options can be improved, identifies new sectors where the waste can be applied and exposes knowledge gaps to enhance research in the area.

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Fig. 1

( Adopted from (Hower et al. 2017))

Fig. 2

(Adopted from (Asokan et al. 2005))

Fig. 3

(Adopted from (Chen et al. 2010))

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Provost of College of Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi for his support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Regional Water and Environmental Sanitation Centre. Department of Civil Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, UPO, PMB, Kumasi, Ghana

    R. Nsiah-Gyambibi

  2. Department of Petroleum Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, UPO, PMB, Kumasi, Ghana

    Y. A. Sokama-Neuyam & W. N. Aggrey

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, UPO, PMB, Kumasi, Ghana

    P. Boakye

  4. Petroleum Recovery Research Center (PRRC), New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM, 87801, USA

    W. Ampomah & S. Wang

  5. Sanitation and Environmental Management Division, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Institute of Industrial Research, P. O. Box LG 576, Accra, Ghana

    R. Nsiah-Gyambibi

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Nsiah-Gyambibi, R., Sokama-Neuyam, Y.A., Boakye, P. et al. Valorization of coal fly ash (CFA): a multi-industry review. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 20, 12807–12822 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-023-04895-9

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