Chemical,microbial and physical properties of manufactured soils produced by co-composting municipal green waste with coal fly ash

Increasing proportions of coal fly ash were co-composted with municipal green waste to produce manufactured soil for landscaping use. Only the 100% green waste treatment reached a thermophilic composting phase (?50 °C) which lasted for 6 days. The 25% and 50% ash treatments reached 36–38 °C over the same period while little or no self-heating occurred in the 75% and 100% ash treatments. Composted green waste had a low bulk density and high total and macro-porosity. Addition of 25% ash to green waste resulted in a 75% increase in available water holding capacity. As the proportions of added ash in the composts increased, the organic C, soluble C, microbial biomass C, basal respiration and activities of β-glucosidase, L-asparaginase, alkali phosphatase and arylsulphatase enzymes in the composted products all decreased. It could be concluded that addition of fly ash to green waste at a proportion higher than 25% did not improve the quality parameters of manufactured soil.     

Technical note: Vetiver can grow on coal fly ash without DNA damage

Fly ash is a by-product of coal-fired electricity generation plants. The prevalent practice of disposal is as slurry of ash and water to open lands or ash ponds located near power plants and this has lain to waste thousands of hectares all over the world. Wind and leaching are often the causes of off-site contamination from fly ash dumpsites. Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides) grown on fly ash for three months showed massive, mesh-like growth of roots which could have a phytostabilizing effect. The plant achieved this without any damage to its nuclear DNA as shown by comet assay done on the root nuclei, which implies the long-term survival of the plant on the remediation site. Also, when Vetiver is used for phytoremediation of coal fly ash, its shoots can be safely grazed by animals as very little of heavy metals in fly ash were found to be translocated to the shoots. These features make planting of Vetiver a practical and environmentally compatible method for restoration of fly ash dumpsites. Lack of DNA damage in Vetiver has been compared to that in a sensitive plant i.e. Allium cepa. Our results suggested that apart from traditional end-points viz. growth parameters like root length, shoot length and dry weight, comet assay could also be included in a battery of tests for initial, rapid and effective selection of plants for restoration and phytoremediation of polluted sites.     

Natural revegetation of coal fly ash in a highly saline disposal lagoon in Hong Kong

Question: What is the relationship of the naturally colonizing vegetation and substrate characteristics in fly ash lagoons? Location: West lagoon, Deep Bay, a 13‐ha coastal lagoon in Hong Kong in subtropical Southeast Asia. Methods: Vegetation establishment was examined in a coal fly ash lagoon two years after its abandonment to investigate the distribution of vegetation in relationship to the chemical properties of the fly ash in the lagoon. A greenhouse experiment assessed the limits imposed on plant growth in fly ash. Results: The fly ash was saline, slightly alkaline and very poor in organic matter and nitrogen. Ash from bare and vegetated areas differed significantly in their salinity and extractable concentrations of inorganic nitrogen and various metals. Bare ash had a significantly higher conductivity and extractable sodium, aluminum, manganese, potassium, and lead. In total 11 plant species that belonged to seven families were found growing on the fly ash; all species except the shrub Tamarix chinensis were herbaceous. Using discriminant analysis, the most important factors in distinguishing bare and vegetated ashes were conductivity and sodium. Cluster analysis of bare samples gave two distinct groups, one from the periphery of the lagoon, which had lower sodium, conductivity, organic carbon, potassium and copper, and the other from a second group that contained ashes from the central region of the lagoon. Results of the greenhouse experiment showed that the inhibition of plant growth was significantly correlated with the presence of soluble toxic elements in ash. Conclusion: Toxicity and salinity seem to be the major limiting factors to plant establishment in fly ash, and these factors must be ameliorated for the successful reclamation of these fly ash lagoons.     

Fly ash as a soil ameliorant for improving crop production--a review

Fly ash, a resultant of combustion of coal at high temperature, has been regarded as a problematic solid waste all over the world. Many possible beneficial applications of fly ash are being evaluated to minimize waste, decrease cost of disposal and provide value-added products. The conventional disposal methods for fly ash lead to degradation of arable land and contamination of the ground water. However fly ash is a useful ameliorant that may improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of problem soils and is a source of readily available plant macro and micronutrients. In conjunction with organic manure and microbial inoculants, fly ash can enhance plant biomass production from degraded soils. Detailed studies on the nature and composition of fly ash, conducted during the latter half of the 20th century have helped in repeatedly confirming the various useful applications of this hitherto neglected industrial waste. The purpose of this paper is to review the available information on various attributes of fly ash and explore the possibility of exploiting them for agronomic advantage.     

Air pollution-associated fly ash particles induce fibrotic mechanisms in primary fibroblasts

Air pollution is associated with a variety of respiratory and cardiovascular disorders, including fibrosis. To understand the possible molecular mechanisms underlying this observation, we examined the effect of particulate matter on primary fibroblasts, the key regulators of the extracellular matrix. Fly ash collected in an experimental waste incinerator was used as model particles for fine and ultrafine pollution components. Brief treatment of fibroblasts isolated from adult male Wistar rat hearts with fly ash triggered the immediate formation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Using phospho-specific antibodies we observed activation of p38 MAP kinase, p44/42 MAP kinase (ERK1/2) and p70(S6) kinase. Prolonged incubation with fly ash increased the expression of collagen 1 and TGF-beta1, but decreased mRNA levels of MMP9 and TNF-alpha. Cell proliferation was inhibited at high concentrations of fly ash. An increase in the level of advanced glycation endproduct (AGE) modification of various cellular proteins after long-term treatment of cultured fibroblasts with fly ash was observed. The results of our study demonstrate that direct activation of fibroblasts by combustion-derived particles is a mechanism that may contribute to the adverse health effects of particulate air pollution.     

Retention of Metals Leached From Municipal Solid Waste Incineration (MSWI) Bottom Ashes in Soils

Utilization of bottom ash in road construction may lead to a release of contaminants that can affect the soil of the swales constructed along these roads. Column tests were performed to evaluate the retention behavior of Cu, Cr, Zn, and Pb, originating from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) bottom ash leachate, in two substrates: peat and mould (a cultural soil). A chemical sequential extraction method was used to predict the risk associated with the release of the retained elements with modifications of environmental conditions. Apart from the dissolution of organic matter (OM), ash leachate properties hindered the metal transport from peat. Mould was efficient only in removing Zn, making it a less favorable substrate for the leachate control along the roads. Readily soluble forms made up a minor fraction of the retained metals in peat, reducing the risk of metal release due to ion exchange and pH drop. Changes in redox potential might be the main cause of Zn desorption from peat as the Fe-Mn oxides were the main scavengers for this metal. Oxidation of OM would be the primary reason of Cu and Cr release, while for Pb both fractions (Fe-Mn oxides and OM) might equally contribute to the metal discharge.     

煤矿固废资源化利用的生态效率与碳减排——以淮北市为例

工业固废的大量堆积产生多种环境危害,工业固废的资源化利用能够节约资源和缓解环境压力。建筑行业是能源消耗和碳排放的主要部门之一,其中建筑材料生产阶段的能耗和碳排放占有重要的地位。粉煤灰、煤矸石是常见的工业固体废物,尤其是在以煤炭为主要能源的地区。粉煤灰、煤矸石资源化利用的途径之一是用于制造新型墙体砖。本文以煤炭资源型城市淮北市的新型墙体砖(粉煤灰砌块、煤矸石砖)和传统墙体砖(粘土砖、粘土多孔砖)为案例,对墙体砖生产过程的生态效率和碳排放进行分析和比较。在淮北市墙体材料行业碳排放不增加的前提下,以最优生态效率为目标,建立线性规划模型,对淮北市4种主要墙体材料的产量进行规划。分析结果表明:新型墙体材料的生态效率高于传统墙体材料;煤矸石砖生产过程的碳排放系数高于传统墙体砖;粉煤灰砌块生产过程的碳排放系数介于粘土砖和粘土多孔砖之间。在淮北市墙体材料行业碳排放不增加的前提下,与现有的产量相比,淮北市应禁止粘土砖的生产,适当减少粘土多孔砖的产量,适当增加粉煤灰砌块和煤矸石砖的产量,以达到最优生态效率。在最优生态效率的情况下,淮北市新型墙体材料煤矸石砖对煤矸石工业固废的利用率将由目前的15.8%增加到25.2%。     

Heavy metals extraction from municipal solid waste incineration fly ash using adapted metal tolerant Aspergillus niger

This study focused on the adaptation of Aspergillus niger tolerating high concentration of heavy metals for bioleaching of fly ash. The Plackett-Burman design indicated that Al and Fe inhibited the growth of A. niger (AS 3.879 and AS 3.40) significantly. The single metal (Al and Fe) and multi-metals adapted AS 3.879 strain tolerated up to 3500 mg/L Al, 700 mg/L Fe, and 3208.1mg/L multi-metals, respectively. The order of metal extraction yield in two-step bioleaching of 60 and 70 g/L fly ash using Al adapted, multi-metals adapted and un-adapted AS 3.879 strains was as follows: multi-metals adapted>Al adapted>un-adapted. The multi-metals adapted strain grew with up to 70 g/L fly ash and secreted 256 mmol/L organic acids after 288 h, where 87.4% Cd, 64.8% Mn, 49.4% Zn and 45.9% Pb were dissolved. The extracted metals in TCLP test of the bioleached fly ash by multi-metals adapted strain were under the regulated levels in China.     

异养微生物在金属生物淋滤技术中的应用

生物淋滤技术主要应用于低品位矿石金属选矿、煤气脱硫、废弃物中金属回收和污染介质中金属离子毒性的去除等方面。作为生物淋滤技术中的主体微生物之一,异养微生物可通过其产生的酸性代谢物还原、酸化及络合,提取或者溶解非硫化矿、固体废弃物、污水污泥及土壤中的金属,有助于解决目前的资源短缺问题,还可对污染环境治理提供技术支持,具有重要的理论意义和实践价值。应用于异养微生物淋滤技术中的常见微生物包括细菌(以假单胞菌为主)和真菌(以曲霉菌和青霉菌应用最为广泛)。淋滤过程涉及酸解、络合、还原及碱化等。目前,异养微生物淋滤技术主要应用于生物冶金、固体废弃物处理、污水处理和污染土壤修复等。本文分析了异养微生物金属淋滤过程中的问题,并提出了未来研究的发展方向。     

Variability over time in the mutagenicity of ashes from municipal solid-waste incinerators

Incineration of municipal solid waste as an alternative to its disposal in landfills has advantages such as volume reduction and generation of energy. However, both air emissions and the residual ash may pose environmental and human health hazards. The Ames mutagenicity assay was used to determine the mutagenicity of fly and bottom ash from two incinerators over time. This assay is an alternative to costly and time-consuming chemical analyses and is more realistic for the assessment of the best disposition of the ash i.e. whether it could pose a risk to handlers of the ash, whether it can be used in cement or as a fertilizer or whether it should be relegated to a landfill. The mutagenic potency of fly and bottom ash on a per g weight basis of material is similar. Furthermore, the variability over time in mutagenicity indicates that constant monitoring of incineration products and byproducts is essential.     

Development of a Laboratory-Scale Leaching Plant for Metal Extraction from Fly Ash by Thiobacillus Strains

Semicontinuous biohydrometallurgical processing of fly ash from municipal waste incineration was performed in a laboratory-scale leaching plant (LSLP) by using a mixed culture of Thiobacillus thiooxidans and Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. The LSLP consisted of three serially connected reaction vessels, reservoirs for a fly ash suspension and a bacterial stock culture, and a vacuum filter unit. The LSLP was operated with an ash concentration of 50 g liter⁻¹, and the mean residence time was 6 days (2 days in each reaction vessel). The leaching efficiencies (expressed as percentages of the amounts applied) obtained for the economically most interesting metal, Zn, were up to 81%, and the leaching efficiencies for Al were up to 52%. Highly toxic Cd was completely solubilized (100%), and the leaching efficiencies for Cu, Ni, and Cr were 89, 64, and 12%, respectively. The role of T. ferrooxidans in metal mobilization was examined in a series of shake flask experiments. The release of copper present in the fly ash as chalcocite (Cu₂S) or cuprite (Cu₂O) was dependent on the metabolic activity of T. ferrooxidans, whereas other metals, such as Al, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Zn, were solubilized by biotically formed sulfuric acid. Chemical leaching with 5 N H₂SO₄ resulted in significantly increased solubilization only for Zn. The LSLP developed in this study is a promising first step toward a pilot plant with a high capacity to detoxify fly ash for reuse for construction purposes and economical recovery of valuable metals.     

Biosorption behavior of heavy metals in bioleaching process of MSWI fly ash by Aspergillus niger

In this study, it was considered that the biosorption of heavy metals by biomass might occur during the bioleaching of fly ash. This work is focused on the biosorption behavior of Al, Fe, Pb and Zn by Aspergillus niger during the bioleaching process. The fungal biomass was contacted with heavy metals solution which extracted from fly ash by using gluconic acid as leaching agent. The equilibrium time for biosorption was about 120 min. The biosorption experiment data at initial pH 6.5 was used to fit the biosorption kinetics and isotherm models. The results indicated that the biosorption of Al, Fe and Zn by A. niger biomass were well described by the pseudo-first order kinetic model. The pseudo-second order kinetic model was more suitable for that of Pb. The Langmuir isotherm model could well describe the biosorption of Fe, Pb and Zn while the Freundlich model could well describe the biosorption of Al. Furthermore, the biosorption of metal ions decreased evidently in the presence of fly ash as compared to that in the absence of fly ash. This research showed that although the biomass sorption occurred during the bioleaching process, it did not inhibit the removal of Al, Fe, Pb and Zn evidently from fly ash.     

The uptake of cadmium,lead and selenium by barley and cabbage grown on soils amended with refuse incinerator fly ash

Summary Barley and cabbage plants grown in the greenhouse on soils amended with refuse incinerator fly ash contained significantly elevated levels of Cd, Pb and Se, with Cd uptake being greatest in both plant species. Cabbage grown on 20% ash amended soil contained 146 times more Cd than controls. Cadmium and Se appeared to be less available in a successive barley crop after overwintering the pots of soil outside, but elemental concentrations still remained elevated. Comparisons with data from other studies indicated that Cd availability was greater from refuse fly ash than from sewage sludge.     

Properties of Fly Ash as Hydraulic Barrier

This study examines the suitability of pozzolanic fly ash as a hydraulic barrier and the use of bentonite to enhance geotechnical properties of fly ash. The behavior of fly ash is studied not only with water but also with different pore fluids, such as acid, alkali, salts, and neutral organic fluid to assess its chemical compatibility. While some geotechnical properties of fly ash meet the requirements of liner material, the disadvantage of using of fly ash alone is that it has a low cation exchange capacity and high hydraulic conductivity. The compressibility of fly ash reduces with alkaline solution but increases with acidic solutions. While alkaline or neutral inorganic solutions do not affect the hydraulic conductivity of fly ash, the addition of dilute acid increases the hydraulic conductivity. Addition of bentonite improves the geotechnical properties of fly ash such as cation exchange capacity, shrinkage and volume change behavior, etc. Fly ash-bentonite mixtures possess low shrinkage and hence do not crack. Compacted fly ash-bentonite mixtures undergo very little volume changes under various stress conditions. The hydraulic conductivity of fly ash is reduced after amendment with bentonite. Though the unconfined compressive strength of the mixture is lower than that of fly ash alone, the fly ash-bentonite mixture still possesses good strength. The compressibility of fly ash bentonite mixtures are lower with different pore fluids studied than with water. The hydraulic conductivity of fly ash-bentonite mixtures are slightly higher in different pore fluids studied than with water.     

The response of a co-culture lung model to fine and ultrafine particles of incinerator fly ash at the air-liquid interface

Elevated concentrations of particulate matter in the environmental atmosphere constitute a potential risk to human health. In vitro cell-based assays are therefore necessary to evaluate the toxicological potential of inhaled particulate emissions. In this study, the exposure of a co-culture cell model at the air-liquid interface was used to evaluate the dose-dependent biological effects of a test aerosol. The CULTEX system was used to expose human cells to an environmentally-relevant aerosol, generated from fly ash collected in a commercial municipal waste incinerator and resuspended in filtered air. Human bronchial epithelial cells, BEAS-2B, co-cultured with differentiated THP-1 macrophages growing on Transwell inserts, were employed in the bioassay. Analyses of cell viability, interleukin-8 (IL-8) release, intracellular glutathione, and haeme oxygenase-1 enzyme expression were performed. Transportation of the cells and exposure to humidified filtered air or the test aerosol, at 100 ml/min for 1 to 6 hours, were well tolerated by the cells and had no effect on their viability. Levels of IL-8 release and haeme oxygenase-1 expression were elevated by exposure to fly ash aerosol as a function of time, but not by exposure to clean air. For IL-8 release, a dose-dependent effect was demonstrated with the assumption that the deposited mass of the particles correlated with exposure time. Exposure to the test aerosol did not affect the intracellular glutathione concentration. This in vitro approach simulates particle deposition in the human lung more realistically than does submerged exposure, and it preserves the inherent properties of the particles. It shows promise for use to detect particulate emissions which are potentially detrimental to human health.     

Heavy metal contamination of a mixed waste compost: Metal speciation and fate

The aims of this study were to assess changes in heavy metal availability in two contrasting feedstocks during aerobic composting, and the availability of said metals in the finished composts. A high C-to-N ratio mixed biodegradable municipal solid waste (MSW) feedstock was successfully composted on its own and in combination with green waste. Changes in heavy metal speciation throughout the composting process were studied using the modified BCR sequential extraction protocol. It was found that total Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations increased over time due to the progressive mineralization of the compost feedstock. Metals were fractionated differently within the two feedstocks, although only Cu showed significant redistribution (mostly to the oxidisable fraction) over the 5 month composting period. The MSW-derived composts performed comparably with other commercially-available composts in a series of plant growth trials. Plant metal accumulation was not influenced by the heavy metals present in the MSW-derived compost implying that they are not plant available. It is recommended that these relatively low value/quality composts may be used for remediation of acidic heavy metal contaminated sites.     

Effect of coal ash on growth and metal uptake by some selected ectomycorrhizal fungi in vitro

Six isolates of ectomycorrhizal fungi namely, Laccaria fraterna (EM-1083), Pisolithus tinctorius (EM-1081), Pisolithus tinctorius (EM-1290), Pisolithus tinctorius (EM-1293), Scleroderma verucosum (EM-1283), and Scleroderma cepa (EM-1233), were grown on three variants of coal ash, namely electrostatically precipitated (ESP) ash, pond ash, and bottom ash moistened with Modified Melin-Norkans (MMN) medium in vitro The colony diameter reflected the growth of the isolates on the coal ash. Metal accumulation in the mycelia was assayed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Six metals, namely aluminum, cadmium, chromium, iron, lead, and nickel, were selected on the basis of their abundance in coal ash and toxicity potential for the present work. Growth of vegetative mycelium on fly ash variants and metal accumulation data indicated that Pisolithus tinctorius (EM-1290) was the most tolerant among the isolates tested for most of the metals. Since this isolate is known to be mycorrhizal with Eucalyptus, it could be used for the reclamation of coal ash over burdened sites.     

Growth response of two grasses and a legume on coal fly ash amended strip mine spoils

The use of fly ash as an amendment for strip mine soils was studied under field conditions. Three plant species—Agrostis tenuis var. Highlander,Festuca arundinacea, andLespedeza cuneata—were grown in strip mine plots. Half of the plots were treated with an equivalent of 70 metric tons per hectare of coal fly ash and half were untreated. Biomass production ranged from 5 to 30 times higher in fly ash treated plots compared to untreated plots. No toxic effects to the plants were observed.     

稀碱法提取食用蝇蛆蛋白

对蝇蛆粉充分脱脂后采用稀碱法提取蝇蛆蛋白。结果表明,液料比、浸提温度、碱浓度对提取得率有显著影响(P<0.01),提取时间对提取得率影响差异不显著。蛋白提取的最佳条件为:液料比20mL/g,浸提温度80℃,浸提时间2h,碱浓度1%(w/v)。在此条件下,所得蝇蛆蛋白粉蛋白氮含量为11.14%,蛋白得率为57.53%,提取效率为69.84%。对最优条件下得到的蝇蛆蛋白粉进行理化指标检测,并与速溶豆粉的企业标准以及脱脂乳粉的国家标准进行比较。结果表明,水分、灰分、脂肪、蛋白含量均已达到可食用级别的要求,重金属铅、汞、砷含量均低于限量要求,微生物检测不含致病菌和大肠杆菌,在最优提取条件下所得蝇蛆蛋白粉,综合指标已达可食用标准。     

Substance Flow Analysis of Wastes Containing Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers

The present article examines flows and stocks of Stockholm Convention regulated pollutants, commercial penta‐ and octabrominated diphenyl ether (cPentaBDE, cOctaBDE), on a city level. The goals are to (1) identify sources, pathways, and sinks of these compounds in the city of Vienna, (2) determine the fractions that reach final sinks, and (3) develop recommendations for waste management to ensure their minimum recycling and maximum transfer to appropriate final sinks. By means of substance flow analysis (SFA) and scenario analysis, it was found that the key flows of cPentaBDE stem from construction materials. Therefore, end‐of‐life (EOL) plastic materials used for construction must be separated and properly treated, for example, in a state‐of‐the‐art municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerator. In the case of cOctaBDE, the main flows are waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and, possibly, vehicles. Most EOL vehicles are exported from Vienna and pose a continental, rather than a local, problem. According to the modeling, approximately 73% of cOctaBDE reached the final sink MSW incinerator, and 17% returned back to consumption by recycling. Secondary plastics, made from WEEE, may thus contain significant amounts of cOctaBDE; however, uncertainties are high. According to uncertainty analysis, the major cause is the lack of reliable values regarding cOctaBDE concentrations in European WEEE categories 3 and 4, including cathode ray tube monitors for computers and televisions. We recommend establishing a new, goal‐oriented data set by additional analyses of waste constituents and plastic recycling samples, as well as establishing reliable mass balances of polybrominated diphenyl ethers’ flows and stocks by means of SFA.