Characterization of hazardous trace elements in solid waste products from a coal-burning powerplant in Kentucky

Book · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:257209

Crowley, S S; Finkelman, R B; Palmer, C A ^[1]; Eble, C F ^[2]

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1. Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States)
2. Kentucky Geological Survey, Lexington, KY (United States)

The US Geological Survey, the Kentucky Geological Survey, the Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research, and a Kentucky coal-burning utility are cooperating in a project to generate information on the physical and chemical properties of coal-combustion waste products (fly ash and bottom ash) and to assess their environmental impact. Samples of bituminous feed coal, bottom ash, and fly ash are being collected and characterized on a monthly basis from two units of a coal-burning powerplant: one that burns high-sulfur (total sulfur {approx} 3.3 wt. %) coal and a second unit that burns low-sulfur (total sulfur {approx} 0.9 wt. %) coal. In addition, samples of limestone and flue gas desulfurization sludge are being collected from the high-sulfur unit, and samples of pond slurry composed of wastes from both units are also being collected. This cooperative study will provide a publicly available data base of a comprehensively characterized suite of coal-combustion waste products in relation to physical and chemical properties. Results from this project may be used to identify the most cost-effective method for predicting the behavior and environmental impact of the trace elements leached from coal-combustion waste products. As part of this study, the mode of occurrence and distribution of environmentally sensitive trace elements are being examined in fly ash and bottom ash. The 1990 US Clean Air Act Amendments identify potentially hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), including As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, and radionuclides (e.g., U). This paper summarizes the preliminary research results on the distribution and mode of occurrence of these elements in the fly ash and bottom ash samples from the first month of collection.

• OSTI ID: 257209
• Report Number(s): CONF-950952--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
ANTIMONY
ARSENIC
ASHES
BERYLLIUM
BITUMINOUS COAL
CADMIUM
CHROMIUM
COBALT
COMBUSTION
COMPILED DATA
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
FLY ASH
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
ICP MASS SPECTROSCOPY
KENTUCKY
LEAD
MANGANESE
MASS BALANCE
MULTI-ELEMENT ANALYSIS
NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
NICKEL
SELENIUM
TRACE AMOUNTS
URANIUM
WASTE MANAGEMENT
X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS