Encapsulation of mixed radioactive and hazardous waste contaminated incinerator ash in modified sulfur cement

Conference · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6974297

Kalb, P D; Heiser, III, J H; Colombo, P

Some of the process waste streams incinerated at various Department of Energy (DOE) facilities contain traces of both low-level radioactive (LLW) and hazardous constituents, thus yielding ash residues that are classified as mixed waste. Work is currently being performed at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) to develop new and innovative materials for encapsulation of DOE mixed wastes including incinerator ash. One such material under investigation is modified sulfur cement, a thermoplastic developed by the US Bureau of Mines. Monolithic waste forms containing as much as 55 wt % incinerator fly ash from Idaho national Engineering Laboratory (INEL) have been formulated with modified sulfur cement, whereas maximum waste loading for this waste in hydraulic cement is 16 wt %. Compressive strength of these waste forms exceeded 27.6 MPa. Wet chemical and solid phase waste characterization analyses performed on this fly ash revealed high concentrations of soluble metal salts including Pb and Cd, identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as toxic metals. Leach testing of the ash according to the EPA Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) resulted in concentrations of Pb and Cd above allowable limits. Encapsulation of INEL fly ash in modified sulfur cement with a small quantity of sodium sulfide added to enhance retention of soluble metal salts reduced TCLP leachate concentrations of Pb and Cd well below EPA concentration criteria for delisting as a toxic hazardous waste. 12 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/NE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6974297
• Report Number(s): BNL-43691; CONF-9005123-2; ON: DE90010647; TRN: 90-016158
• Resource Relation: Conference: 9. annual international symposium on the incineration of radioactive, hazardous, mixed and medical wastes: incineration conference '90, San Diego, CA (USA), 14-18 May 1990
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
FLY ASH
ENCAPSULATION
METALS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
TOXIC MATERIALS
WASTE FORMS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
BNL
CADMIUM
CEMENTS
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
COMBUSTION
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
INCINERATORS
LEAD
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
AEROSOL WASTES
ASHES
BUILDING MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ELEMENTS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OXIDATION
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RESIDUES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing