Characteristics of blast furnace slag leachate produced under reduced and oxidized conditions.
A laboratory study was conducted to determine the environmental conditions necessary to reproduce leachates observed emerging from blast furnace slag acting as the foundation of highways in northwest Indiana. The leachates in the field are often highly alkaline with a pungent sulfur odor, a distinct green or milky-white in color, and sulfate concentrations exceeding 2,000 mg/L. Slag was equilibrated in the laboratory under both oxidized and anoxic environments and at various slag:water ratios. Constant anoxic conditions were required to produce to green colors in the slag, but high sulfate concentrations were observed only when the suspensions were fully oxidized. Leachate from the study site appears to form as a result of a series of complex chemical reactions including fluctuating oxidized and reduced conditions.
Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
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Schwab
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Hickey
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Hunter
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Banks
D000327:Adsorption; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D017745:Incineration; D007196:Indiana; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D009812:Odorants / Q000517:prevention & control; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010087:Oxides / Q000032:analysis; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013431:Sulfates / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors; D018505:Waste Management
D007220:Industrial Waste; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D010087:Oxides; D013431:Sulfates