Assessment of trace contaminants from a model indirect liquefaction facility. Volume III. Ecological hazards of Lurgi/Fischer-Tropsch coal liquefaction
Process waste streams generated by a commercial-scale indirect liquefaction facility employing Lurgi/Fischer-Tropsch technology may affect surrounding aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In this assessment of ecological risks, facility streams that have a reasonable possibility of directly or indirectly entering the environment are identified. For each of these process streams, inorganic and organic contaminants most likely to occur are identified, and their expected concentrations following appropriate dilution in the ambient environment are calculated. These concentrations are compared with various toxicologic and environmental benchmarks. Results indicate that gasifier and utility ash and associated leachates should generate no serious, insurmountable ecological problems, although several trace elements and ammonia may pose problems. Effluent from the wastewater treatment unit is likely to contain toxic trace elements and organic compounds at concentrations which could pose a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems, and man though food chain contamination. Sludge from biological treatment of process wastewaters is likely to contain concentrations of trace elements and biorefractory compounds that would pose a hazard to aquatic ecosystems if the sludge is not disposed of properly. Cooling tower drift and evaporative releases appear to be the greatest atmosperic threat to local terresterial ecosystems due to the significant quantities of organic and inorganic contaminants released. Utility stack gases may pose significant regional ecological hazards due to release of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides and trace metals, particularly mercury. Final conclusions regarding ecological hazards posed by indirect liquefaction facilities cannot be made until a great deal more information regarding all aspects of ecological impacts become available. 57 references, 41 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC01-79EV10291; AC05-84OR21400; W-31-109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 6867397
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/EV/10291-T2-Vol.3; ON: DE84013989
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
COAL LIQUEFACTION PLANTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
AIR POLLUTION
AMMONIA
ANTIMONY
ARSENIC
ASHES
BERYLLIUM
CADMIUM
COPPER
CYANIDES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FISCHER-TROPSCH SYNTHESIS
FLUORINE
FORECASTING
GASEOUS WASTES
LEACHATES
LEAD
LURGI PROCESS
MERCURY
NICKEL
NITROGEN OXIDES
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SELENIUM
SILVER
SLUDGES
SOLID WASTES
SULFUR DIOXIDE
THALLIUM
THEORETICAL DATA
TRACE AMOUNTS
VANADIUM
WASTE WATER
WATER POLLUTION
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
AROMATICS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL GASIFICATION
DATA
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
GASIFICATION
HALOGENS
HYDRIDES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INFORMATION
LIQUID WASTES
METALS
MIXTURES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RESIDUES
SEMIMETALS
SOLUTIONS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WASTES
WATER
010900* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects
010800 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Waste Management
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)