Mechanisms of inorganic particle formation during suspension heating of simulated aqueous wastes

Journal Article · Fri Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Environmental Science and Technology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00014a008· OSTI ID:5230296

Mulholland, J A; Sarofim, A D ^[1]

---

1. Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (USA)

The fate of cadmium, lead, and nickel contained as nitrates in aqueous droplets was studied in a laboratory-scale furnace. Trimodal particle size distributions were observed. Metal partitioning between a residual mode (particle aerodynamic diameter, D{sub p,aero} > 7 {mu}m) and an intermediate mode (1 {mu}m > D{sub p,aero} > 7 {mu}m) was consistent with the dependence of particle porosity on condensed-phase transformations during nitrate decomposition. In addition, ultrafine particles were produced. In the nickel experiments, where vaporization was not a reasonable mechanism for inorganic aerosol formation, it was found that 30-35% of the particles had aerodynamic diameters of less than 1 {mu}m. Furthermore, a preponderance of cenospheres was observed in the large particle size fractions. It is conjectured that the fragmentation process of cenosphere bursting produced the submicron aerosol. In the cadmium and lead experiments, the amount of submicron particles produced was in qualitative agreement with the amount of metal oxide calculated to vaporize.

• OSTI ID: 5230296
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology; (United States) Vol. 25:2; ISSN ESTHA; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AEROSOL WASTES
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM NITRATES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
COMBUSTION
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
DROPLETS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
INFORMATION
LEAD COMPOUNDS
LEAD NITRATES
LIQUID WASTES
NICKEL COMPOUNDS
NICKEL NITRATES
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
WASTES