Abstract
Lignite powered electric generation plants result in increasing environmental problems associated with gaseous emissions and the disposal of ash residues. Especially, low quality coals with high ash content cause enormous quantities of both gaseous and solid fly ash emissions. The main problem is related to the disposal of fly ash, which, in many cases, contains heavy metals. It is known that toxic trace metals may leach when fly ash is in contact with water. In this study, fly ash samples obtained from the thermal power plant in the town of Can in Turkey were investigated for leachability of metals under different acidic and temperature conditions. The experimental results show that a decrease in pH of the leachant favors the extraction of metal ions from fly ash. A significant increase in the extraction of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, zinc, lead, mercury, and selenium ions from the ash is attributed to the instability of the mineral phases. These heavy metals concentrations increase with respect to increasing acidic conditions and temperature. Peak concentrations, in general, were found at around 30°C.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adriano, D. C., Capp, P. J., & Gillmore, W. D. (1980). Coal mine spoil and refuse bank reclamation with powerplant fly ash. Compost Science, 13, 20–26.
Baba, A. (2000). Investigation of environmental geology of the Yatagan (Mugla-Turkey) thermal power plant waste. Ph.D. Thesis, Dokuz Eylul University.
Baba, A. (2003). Geochemical assessment of environmental effects of ash from Yatagan (Mugla-Turkey) thermal power plant. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 144, 3–18.
Baba, A, & Kaya, A. (2004). Leaching characteristics of solid wastes from thermal power plants of Western Turkey and comparison of toxicity methodologies. Journal of Environmental Management, 73, 199–207.
Baba, A., Kaya, A., & Birsoy, Y. (2003). The effect of Yatagan thermal power plant (Mugla-Turkey) on the quality of surface and ground waters. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 149, 93–111.
Baba, A., & Turkman, A. (2001). Investigation of geochemical and leaching characteristics of solid wastes from Yeniköy (Mugla-Turkey) power plant. Turkish Journal of Engineering and Environmental Sciences, 25, 315–319.
Baba, A., & Usmen, M. A. (2006). Effects of fly ash from coal-burning electrical utilities on ecosystem and utilization of fly ash. In A. Baba, K. W. F. Howard, & O. Gunduz (Eds.), Groundwater and ecosystems (pp. 15–31). Dordrecht: Springer.
Campbell, J. A., Laul, J. C., Neilson, K. K., & Smith, R. D. (1978). Separation and chemical characterization of finely-sized fly ash particles. Analytical Chemistry, 50(8), 1032–1040.
Carlin, J. (2002). Environmental externalities in electric power markets: Acid rain, urban ozone, and climate change, alternative flues. Retrieved from http://www.eia.doe.gov.
Chang, A. C., Lund J. L., Page, L. A., & Warneke, E. J. (1977). Physical properties of fly ash-amended soils. Journal of Environmental Quality, 6, 267–270.
Davidson, R. M., & Clarke L. B. (1996). Trace elements in coal. IEA Coal Research, IEAPER/21.
Davison, R. L., Natusch, D. F. S., Wallace, J. R., & Evans, C. A. Jr (1974). Trace elements in fly ash, dependence of concentration on particle size. Environmental Science and Technology, 8–13, 1107–1112.
EPRI. (1998). Toxics release inventory, chemical profile, environmental division. Palo Alto: Electric Power Research Institute.
Fernandez-Turiel, J. L., Carvalho, W., Cabanas, M., Querol, X., & Lopez, A. (1994). Mobility of heavy metals from coal fly ash. Environmental Geology, 23, 264–270.
Finkelman, R.B. (1994). Modes of occurrences of potential hazardous elements in coal, level of confidence. Fuel Process Technology, 39(1–3), 21–34.
Fleming, L. N., Abinteh, H. N., & Inyang, H. I. (1996). Leachant pH effects on the leachability of metals from fly ash. Journal of Soil Contamination, 5(1), 53–59.
Furr, A. K, Parkinson, T. F, Hinrichs, R. A, Van Campen, D. R, Bache, C. A., & Gutenmann, W. H. (1977). National survey of elements and radioactivity in fly ash. Absorption of elements by cabbage grown in fly ash–soil mixtures. Environmental Science & Technology, 11, 1194–201.
Gehrs, C. W., Shriner, D. S., & Herbes, S. E. (1979). Environmental health and safety implications of increased coal utilization. In M. A. Elliot (Ed.), Chemistry of coal utilization, second supplementary volume (pp. 2194–2219). New York: Wiley.
Georgakopoulos, A., Filippidis, A., & Kassoli-Fournaraki, A. (1994). Morphology and trace element contents of the fly ash from Main and Northern lignite fields, Ptolemais, Greece. Fuel, 73, 1802–1804.
Georgakopoulos, A., Filippidis, A., Kassoli-Fournaraki, A., Fernández-Turiel, A., Llorens, J. F., & Mousty, F. (2002a). Leachability of major and trace elements of fly ash from Ptolemais Power Station, Northern Greece. Energy Sources, 24(2), 103–113.
Georgakopoulos, A., Filippidis, A., Kassoli-Fournaraki, A., Iordanidis, A., Fernández-Turiel, J. L., Llorens, J. F., et al. (2002b). Environmentally important elements in fly ashes and their leachates of the power stations of Greece. Energy Sources, 24(1), 83–91.
Güleç, N., Çancı, G. B., & Erler, A. (2001). Assessment of soil and water contamination around an ash-disposal site, a case study from the Seyıtomer coal-fired power plant in westeren Turkey. Environmental Geology, 40/3, 331–344.
Hansen, L. D., & Fisher, G. L. (1980). Elemental distribution in coal fly ash particles. Environmental Science and Technology, 9–9, 862–868.
Hansen, L. D., Silberman, D., Fisher, G. L., & Eatough, D. J. (1984). Chemical speciation of elements in stack-collected, respirable-size, coal fly ash. Environmental Science & Technology, 18, 181–186.
Hower, J. C, Robertson, J. D, Thomas, G. A, Wong, A. S, Schram, W. H, & Graham, U. M. (1996). Characterization of fly ash from Kentucky power plants. Fuel, 75, 403–411.
Hower, J. C, Trimble, A. S, Eble, C. F, Palmer, C. A, & Kolker A. (1999). Characterization of fly ash from low-sulfur and high-sulfur coal sources: partitioning of carbon and trace elements with particle size. Energy Sources, 21, 511–525.
Hulett, L. D., Weinberger, A. J., Northcutt, K. J., & Ferguson, M. (1980). Chemical species in fly ash from coal burning power plants. Science, 210, 1356–1358.
Inyang, H. I. (1992). Energy related waste materials in geotechnical systems: Durability and environmental considerations. In R. K. Singhal, A. K. Mehrotra, K. Fytas, & J. L. Colins (Eds.), Environmental issues and waste management in energy and minerals production (pp. 1157–1164). Rotterdam: Balkema.
Kaakinen, J. W., Jorden, R. M., Lawasani, M. H., & West, R. E. (1975). Trace element behavior in coal-fired power plant. Environmental Science & Technology, 9–9, 862–868.
Kamon, M., Katsumi, T., & Sano, Y. (2000). MSW fly ash stabilized with coal ash for geotechnical application. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 76(2–3), 265–283.
Kim, A. G., & Kazonich, G. (2004). The silicate/non-silicate distribution of metals in fly ash and its effect on solubility. Fuel, 83, 2285–2292.
Kim, A. G, Kazonich, G., & Dahlberg, M. (2003). Relative solubility of cations in class fly ash. Environmental Science & Technology, 37, 4507–4511.
Kirby, C. S., & Rimstidt, J. D. (1994). Interaction of municipal solid waste ash with water. Environmental Science & Technology, 28, 443–451.
Klein, D. H., Andren, A. W., Carter, J. A., Emery, J. F., Feldman, C., Fulkerson, W., et al. (1975). Pathways of thirty seven trace elements through coal-fired power plant. Environmental Science and Technology, 9.10, 973–978.
Kukier, U., Ishak, C. F, Summer, M. E., & Miller W. P. (2003). Composition and element solubility of magnetic and non-magnetic fly ash fractions. Environmental Pollution, 123, 255–266.
Laumakis, T. M., Martin, J. P, & Kim, Y. C. (1996). Characterization of fly ash and other by-products as sorptive subgrades for environmental facility sites. In Kamon (Ed.), Environmental geotechnics (pp. 797–801). Rotterdam: Balkema.
Mandal, A., & Sengupta, D. (2002). Characterization of fly ash from coal-based thermal power station at Kolaghat—Possible environmental hazards. Indian Journal of Environmental Protection, 22(8), 885–891.
Martinez-Tarazona, M. R., & Spears, D. A. (1996). The fate of trace elements and bulk minerals in pulverized coal combustion in a power station. Fuel Processing Technology, 47, 79–92.
Mason, B. & Moore, C. B. (1982). Principles of geochemistry (4th ed). New York: Wiley.
McMurphy, L. M., Biradar, D. P., Taets, C., & Rayburn, A. L. (1996). Differential effects of weathered coal fly ash and fly ash leachate on the maize genome. Achieves of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 31, 166–169.
NAPAP: (1992). National acid precipitation assessment program, report to Congress (Washington, DC, June 1993), p. 6.
Natusch, D. F. S, Wallace, J. R., & Evans, Jr C. A (1974). Toxic trace elements: preferential concentration in respirable particles. Science, 183, 202–204.
Senior, C. L., Bool, L. E., & Morency, J. R. (2000). Laboratory study of trace element vaporization from combustion of pulverized coal. Fuel Processing Technology, 63, 109–124.
Smith, R. D., Campbell, J. A., & Nielson, K. K. (1979). Concentrations depend upon particle size of volatized elements in fly ash. Environmental Science & Technology, 13, 527–535.
Swain, D. J. (1990). Trace element in coal. Boston: Butterworth.
Swaine, D. J. (1995). Environmental aspects of trace elements in coal. Dordrecht: Kluwer.
Tazaki, K., Sahu, K. C., & Powell, M. (1989). Observations on the nature of fly ash particles. Fuel, 68, 727–734.
Tripodi, R. A. & Cheremissinof, P. N. (1980). Coal ash disposal solid waste impact. Westport: Technomica, pp. 11–26.
US EPA. (1994). Energy efficiency and renewable energy; opportunities from Title IV of the Clean Air Act. US EPA 430-R-94-001 (Washington, DC, February 1994), p. 8.
Vassilev, S. V. (1994). Trace elements in solid waste products from coal burning at some. Bulgarian Thermoelectric Power Stations. Fuel, 73, 367–374.
Wangen, L. E., & Williams, M. D. (1978). Elemental deposition downwind of a coal-fired power plant. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 10, 33–44.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Baba, A., Gurdal, G., Sengunalp, F. et al. Effects of leachant temperature and pH on leachability of metals from fly ash. A case study: Can thermal power plant, province of Canakkale, Turkey. Environ Monit Assess 139, 287–298 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-007-9834-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-007-9834-8