Assessment of Combustion Residual Leachate Volume, Composition, and Treatment Costs

Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · Journal of Hazardous Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131731· OSTI ID:1994070

Able, Chad ^[1]; Rellergert, Danny ^[1]; Mazzoni, Vincent ^[1]; Grol, Eric ^[2]

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1. National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA (United States); National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA (United States). NETL Support Contractor
2. National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

Combustion residuals and the resulting leachate from storage sites represent a large volume of wastewater in the United States (U.S.) that has not been quantified. Here this work estimates the constituents present, volume of wastewater, and costs of treatment for both combustion residual landfill leachate and the leachate from surface impoundment closures. Combustion residual landfill leachate produced from contact with bituminous coal combustion byproducts is generally predicted to be higher in lithium and manganese, whereas landfill leachate produced from contact with subbituminous coal combustion byproducts is generally predicted to be higher in mercury and vanadium. The annual volume of a single landfill with combustion residual leachate can reach more than 800,000 cubic meters. This leachate represents an annual volume of 26.8–42.8 million cubic meters nationally. Closing surface impoundments can yield between 830 and 1040 cubic meters of leachate nationally for a three-year closure period. Costs as low as $1.5/m³ or as high as $95/m³ are observed. Treatment trains will need to remove 72% of total suspended solids (TSS), 87% of arsenic, and 64% of mercury from landfill leachate. When applied to impoundments, these treatment trains would need to remove 97% of arsenic.

• Research Organization: National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV, and Albany, OR (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
• Grant/Contract Number: 89243323CFE000075
• OSTI ID: 1994070
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1999911
• Journal Information: Journal of Hazardous Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Hazardous Materials Journal Issue: NA Vol. 457; ISSN 0304-3894
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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