Atmospheric emissions of metals from sewage sludge incineration

Journal Article · Mon Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00022470.1982.10465519· OSTI ID:5534853

Gerstle, R W; Albrinck, D N

Increased emphasis is being placed on incineration of sewage sludge at higher temperatures to insure complete destruction of organic compounds. Increasing the combustion temperature, however, increases the potential emissions of volatile metals such as cadmium and lead. The data presented, which were compiled from a review of the literature, indicate an increase in the percent of metals emitted to the atmosphere with rising temperatures in the 700/sup 0/ to 930/sup 0/C (1300/sup 0/ to 1700/sup 0/F) range for both multiple-hearth and fluidized-bed sludge incinerators. It appears that especially arsenic, cadmium, mercury, zinc, and some lead compounds may be emitted in larger amounts with increasing combustion temperatures. Combined with this trend is the fact that volatized metals tend to condense as submicron particulate or as a fume which is more difficult to capture with commonly used control devices. More investigation is needed on innovative control devices and their effect on submicron metal emissions from this type of source, especially at higher combustion temperatures. This report focuses on summarizing available metals emission data from sewage sludge incinerators and noting the air pollution control problems evidenced by this data.

• Research Organization: PEDCo Environmental, Inc., Cincinnati, OH
• OSTI ID: 5534853
• Journal Information: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States) Vol. 32:11; ISSN JPCAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ARSENIC
BARIUM
BERYLLIUM
BORON
CADMIUM
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMIUM
COBALT
COMBUSTION
COPPER
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
INCINERATORS
LEAD
MANAGEMENT
MANGANESE
MERCURY
METALS
NICKEL
OXIDATION
POLLUTION
PROCESSING
REVIEWS
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SILVER
SLUDGES
STRONTIUM
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VANADIUM
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
ZINC