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. 2016 Sep 20;2(9):e00163.
doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2016.e00163. eCollection 2016 Sep.

Beyond waste: new sustainable fillers from fly ashes stabilization, obtained by low cost raw materials

N Rodella  1 , M Pasquali  1 , A Zacco  1 , F Bilo  1 , L Borgese  1 , N Bontempi  1 , G Tomasoni  2 , L E Depero  1 , E Bontempi  1
Affiliations

Beyond waste: new sustainable fillers from fly ashes stabilization, obtained by low cost raw materials

N Rodella et al. Heliyon. .

Abstract

A sustainable economy can be achieved only by assessing processes finalized to optimize the use of resources. Waste can be a relevant source of energy thanks to energy-from-waste processes. Concerns regarding the toxic fly ashes can be solved by transforming them into resource as recycled materials. The commitment to recycle is driven by the need to conserve natural resources, reduce imports of raw materials, save landfill space and reduce pollution. A new method to stabilize fly ash from Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator (MSWI) at room temperature has been developed thanks to COSMOS-RICE LIFE+ project (www.cosmos-rice.csmt.eu). This process is based on a chemical reaction that occurs properly mixing three waste fly ashes with rice husk ash, an agricultural by-product. COSMOS inert can replace critical raw materials (i.e. silica, fluorspar, clays, bentonite, antimony and alumina) as filler. Moreover the materials employed in the stabilization procedure may be not available in all areas. This paper investigates the possibility of substituting silica fume with corresponding condensed silica fume and to substitute flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) residues with low-cost calcium hydroxide powder. The removal of coal fly ash was also considered. The results will be presented and a possible substitution of the materials to stabilize fly ash will be discussed.

Keywords: Engineering; Environmental science; Materials science.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Amount of waste generated per capita in EU27 from 1995 to 2013. The corresponding quantity of landfilled and incinerated wastes are also shown (http://ec.europa.eu/Eurostat).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Percent composition of the materials employed to obtain all stabilized samples (the data correspond to those reported in Table I, but the values in this figure are reported in percent).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
XRD patterns collected on the materials used for the stabilization procedure. All the crystalline phases found in these patterns are also reported.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Concentration values of Pb and Zn in the leaching solution of all samples. The y-axis in this figure was cut at the concentration of 2 mg/L, to compare the residual low quantities of heavy metals in stabilized samples. As a consequence, the concentrations of Pb and Zn in the leaching solution of the MSWI fly ash result out of the scale. The corresponding pH of the solutions is also reported.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
XRD patterns of MSWI fly ash and stabilized samples obtained by using the different stabilizing agents, in accord to quantities reported in Table I. All the crystalline phases found in these patterns are also reported.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Raman spectra of all stabilized samples.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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